


In Niðavellir

by Drachenkinder



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, pre Thor 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 11:08:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14747678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drachenkinder/pseuds/Drachenkinder
Summary: Loki and Thor on a trade and tribute  trip to Niðavellir





	1. Chapter 1

The air was crisp and clear and the scent of crushed heather from their horses’ prancing hooves was sharp. Loki had to admit that Thor was right, a ride across the upland was balm to the dregs of last night’s drunken revelry. Even his healing draughts had not been enough to completely overcome the effects of over indulging in the potent spirits. While Thor regularly participated in such behavior, Loki normally left the party when it became too boisterous for his taste. 

He blamed it on Invarr’s daughter. Unlike her rough and hairy male kin, she was a tantalizing gem of a girl, with red gold hair, sky blue eyes and a fair complexion. Loki found the dusting of pale gold freckles over her pert little nose enticing. The people of Niðavellir tended to short and stocky as a rule but D’vinna was the exception. Though small in stature, just under five feet tall, she was as lithe as any Ljósálfar that graced the woods of Alfheimr. That she seemed to return Loki’s interest made her even more appealing. What started as simple pleasantries, segued into playful flirting, and then escalated into barely veiled innuendoes. 

The only problem was, she drank the heady mead at a rate similar her cousins and Loki felt challenged to keep up with her. By the time their dalliance had reached the discreet withdrawal from the party stage, he was truly and thoroughly drunk. While he hadn’t exactly shamed himself during their dance d’amour it certainly hadn’t been among his best performances. He distinctly remembered her teasing him into a second round, but he was unsure how it had ended. That he woke alone and still covered in the remnants of their coupling, told him he had passed out at some point. Loki was fastidious about his person, and it rankled him to have slept in such a mess. 

D’vinna however was not displeased, as she had smiled at him sweetly this morning when he managed to find his way to the stronghold’s kitchen to procure a pot to brew his hangover remedy. She even brought Loki the bitter potion that the Dwarves used to help cure headaches. As much as it vexed him that she had escaped the after effects of the mead, Loki found her attentions flattering. Perhaps he would have a chance to redeem himself this evening. But he’d stick to Aesir ale tonight, and only a single tankard.

He’d swallowed the acrid black drink, concocted from bark and roasted berries and it had helped lesson the headache a little. His own remedy, which he was kind enough to share with his still slightly drunken brother, when Thor blundered downstairs, had helped more. He had been skeptical about riding out while he was still feeling under the weather, but D’vinna’s increasingly proprietary interest in him was making Loki nervous, so he took Thor up on his offer.

It was beautiful up here on the moor, the rolling hills open to a cerulean sky streaked with the thinnest of clouds. The cool breeze soothed the last of his headache. Thor expressed remorse that they hadn’t thought to bring bows, for the gorse was thick with game birds and fall plump rabbits.

“Not all of us need a bow to hunt, brother.” Loki laughed. This open ground was perfect for a hawk’s talents. He stood in his stirrups, stretched for the bird’s powerful shape, and started to evoke the change. 

His head exploded with white hot shards of pain. Loki shrieked as his shapeshift twisted into wrongness, his bones warping, muscles tearing, before it failed and he reverted to his own form. He fell forward over his horse’s neck, sick and gasping for breath, his head pounding in agony. He struggled to keep his seat on the startled animal. His stomach rebelled and he lost what little food he had eaten. 

Thor wheeled his horse around and caught the bridle before Loki’s fractious mare bolted. “Whoa, there steady.” he crooned to the sidestepping beast, calming her before she tossed her pale and sweating rider. 

“Brother, what ails you?” He asked. Stroking the grey’s neck as she snorted and shook her head, then settled under his care. 

“Apparently I underestimated the strength of Dwarven mead, brother.” Loki panted weakly. “And how far my recovery had progressed.” 

After a fruitless protest that he was fine to ride, Loki gave up and allowed his brother to lead his mare back down the trail toward Mitinder’s citadel. He swayed in the saddle concentrating on keeping his balance and fighting his stomach’s desire to vomit again. 

When they were within sight of the High Chieftain’s home, Loki wrested the reins from Thor and managed to ride the rest of the way in convincingly princely hauteur. Thor’s hearty greetings to those milling about the courtyard insured that no one looked too closely at Loki’s greyed visage or tightlipped expression as he dismounted, handed his reins to a waiting groom, and stalked back to his assigned quarters. 

An hour later, after losing the battle with his gut, he was collapsed bootless across his bed with a cold wet cloth covering his eyes. There was a heavy knock on the door, which he acknowledged with an irritated mumble. Thor opened the plain oaken panel and came in, carrying a covered tray.

“How are you feeling, brother?” Thor inquired, using what for him, was a soft voice, though it echoed in Loki’s aching head. He set the tray on the bedside table.  
“Fine! Wonderful!” Loki snapped. “How do you think I feel?  
“I don’t know Loki, which is why I asked.” Thor returned mildly.  
“Why are you playing serving girl, brother? It doesn’t suit you.” Loki narrowed his eyes in suspicion. 

“Knowing your mood I decided we didn’t need a replay of the Vanaheimr incident. That poor boy still flinches when he sees a cat.” Thor removed the tray’s cover to reveal a steaming cup, a bowl of soup and some slices of thinly buttered bread. “Do you need to forgo this afternoon’s negotiations?”

“Wouldn’t that look great? I’m sure the gossip that Odin’s younger son is too weak to handle a few drinks would improve our standing among the realms. ” Loki grouched as he sat up. “That boy, was an annoying mouse to begin with. I just made it obvious. It wore off didn’t it?” He took the proffered cup and drained its contents, some kind of tart herbal tea, in a single long swallow. 

“Thor, do you truly believe you’ll be able to disentangle the legalities with which these petty chieftains obscure their proposals, on your own?” He replaced the empty cup and rubbed his hands over his temples. “Norns! What do they brew their damnable mead from, snake venom?”

“Why would I bother, when I have my cunning, silver tongued brother for that?” Thor ignored the last comment. He’d had no trouble with the mead, a rather tasty brew in his opinion. “If you are going to attend, then perhaps you should try to eat before the talks start. D’vinna prepared this soup for you. She says it is a recipe her mother used to treat autumn colds.” He took a sniff. “It smells like fowl of some kind.”  
Thor handed the bowl and a spoon to his brother. “You need to be careful Loki, I think the girl is coursing for you.” He seated himself on the foot of the bed. 

Loki took a taste of the soup, it was savory and light, and the first few spoonful’s filled the empty ache in his scoured belly without upset. “I’ve outrun swifter bitches.” He replied. “A little dalliance won’t hurt. She is no blushing maiden to cry seduction. Don’t tell me you retired to the virtue of a lonely bed. That dark haired wench was practically sitting in your lap when I left.”

“It’s one thing to enjoy the company of a willing free woman, Loki.” Thor admonished. “It’s another to bed a chieftain’s daughter, however lessor his rank or experienced the girl. Especially when said chieftain is known for his ambition, and you are the judge of the concessions Asgard will be rewarding in future trade.” 

“Really Thor? Do you think I’m likely to be swayed by a bit of quim, however lovely the package?” Loki replied, reaching for a slice of bread and dipping it in his soup. “Let her and her father try. If nothing else D’vinna is a diversion from the rounds of endless quibbling the other under chieftains seem to think will better their petitions.” He devoured the bread and licked his fingers clean before reaching for another slice.

“Besides I’m only the advisor, everyone knows you,” he tapped Thor on the chest, leaving a buttery finger print on his armor, “as heir apparent, have the final say.”

Thor snorted at that. “As if I would go against your advice in these matters. I’m only saying that…”

Loki cut him off. “I play this right, brother, and next time they’ll all be lining up their prettiest kin in an attempt to win our favor, rather than arguing for hours over insignificant points of procedure. I for one would find such tactics refreshing.”  
Loki gave Thor an arch look as he wiped the last of the soup from the bowl with a final slice of bread. “Don’t tell me you would object to such a change from the present dull form of negotiations.”

Thor laughed. “I agree that your idea has some merits. However I doubt that the dwarf chieftains will be so ready to play procurer for their daughters.”

“And sons.” Loki added slyly, “Arvril is a very handsome, strapping young man whom I know caught your attention.”

“Only as a possible addition to the Einherjar.” Thor huffed.

“Fool yourself, brother. I know lust when I see it. And you underestimate the Dwarves’ avarice.”

“And you overestimate it. They are a proud people, brother and you tread close to insult. That they won’t forgive.” Thor shoved Loki up off the bed and got up himself. “Since it appears you will be coming to the talks I’ll let you get yourself presentable. Oh, old Gnosi wanted to go over the financial records of the metals tribute with you, before then. Shall I send him up?”

“I don’t suppose you can tell him I have something contagious to keep him away?” Loki asked as he headed to the bathing room. “No? Well he can come up while I bathe. The old lecher will be hard pressed…” Loki paused with a smile to let the innuendo sink in. “to keep his mind on facts and not figures.”

“Brother, do you ever stop?” Thor asked as he paused at the doorway.

“No. Why should I?” Loki asked with lifted eyebrows, as he divested himself of his under shirt. “It’s so much more enjoyable to continue.”

Thor left with a sigh. 

Loki grinned, the headache once again abated and proceeded to his bath.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meetings and Meetings. Politics and Porn.

The afternoon’s negotiations were as dull as Loki had predicted. The eight lessor chieftains argued back and forth among themselves as each vied for a bigger slice of trade and tried to excuse their portion of the tribute owed to Asgard for its continued protection and occasional assistance in times of disaster. The northern regions wanted to pay less tribute because they hadn’t had any major disaster in over fifteen years. The southern provinces pointed out that they didn’t need an army on standby to protect them from troll incursions and the occasional damage from hurricanes was nothing compared to the cost of keeping an army trained and equipped. The middle states said they needed neither and since they provide the majority of bulk goods in trade, why should they pay any tribute at all? The High Chieftain kept the discussion from falling into complete chaos and tried to bring about an accord that would allow for continued peace. 

Thor wondered aloud why the Dwarves hadn’t settled all this prior to the arrival of the Aesir princes.  
“It’s because they all want to go behind each other’s backs and make a private deal with us. So they won’t meet until we arrive.” Loki told him. “They are too small minded to seek the benefit of the whole of their world and put their own minor holdings above the rest.”

Thor grumbled at their foolishness. “They could learn from Asgard’s ways.” He said. “Our council works together to benefit all our people.”  
Loki turned to look at him in shock. “Do you sleep during the council meetings?” He asked. 

“Well most of them get along. And Odin listens to their concerns and metes out justice based on the validity of their people’s needs without all this tedious arguing. I don’t see why the High Chieftain doesn’t do the same.” Thor replied.

“Thor, you are truly obtuse if you think that’s how Odin’s decisions are made. He keeps the Jarls fighting between themselves so they don’t consolidate their power to oppose his rule. He weaves discord among the powerful and fosters harmony between the lesser. He doles out favors to his supporters and holds back assistance to those who oppose him, while making it plain to their underlings he would not be adverse to a change in leadership should their opposition continue. They know better to annoy him with their petty complaints lest he award their position to another more …loyal.” Loki sighed. “Your lack of statecraft gives me cause to worry, brother.”

“Our father seeks what is best for all his people.” Thor countered heatedly. “You should guard your tongue. You are close to impinging his honor when you speak thus.”

“As long as what is best for the people, is a stable government with him at the helm.” Loki shot back. “I speak the truth, Thor and if you are to be king someday you had better learn from his example, rather than trying to turn our father into a paragon of virtue.”  
Thor frowned at Loki “I know our father is not perfect, but I find it hard to believe he is as scheming and manipulative as you would portray him.”

Loki shook his head and turned back to watch the arguing Dwarves. “Regardless Thor, the High Chieftain cannot overrule his council. His, like theirs is an elected position. His power is not absolute and if he seeks to abuse it they will hold a special election and remove him from office. He’s more of an arbitrator then a ruler. The same goes for each of the chieftains. If their people are not happy with what they get out of these negotiations, they too may lose their chieftainship and all the benefits and prestige that goes with it.”

“It seems strange to me that these folk choose their leaders from any major landowner who wishes to hold power, whether they are a farmer or a merchant or war leader.” Thor rubbed the back of his neck to ease some of the tension. “How can they know if they will be any good?”

“If they were sensible they would weigh their candidates’ past actions and experience to find the one most qualified. However it’s more likely that they base their choice on who can tell the most plausible lies.” 

Loki glanced across the room where D’vinna was taking notes for her father. He met her eye and winked. She flashed him a smile, her little nose wrinkled and a faint flush spread across her bunched cheeks.  
Loki tilted his head toward the two older Dwarfs fiercely arguing over a minor point in one of the proposed contracts he’d thought settled an hour before. He rolled his eyes theatrically.  
D’vinna covered her mouth and pretended to cough to hide her giggle.

“You’re a cynic, brother.” Thor’s words interrupted his flirting and earned his brother a scowl.

“I’m a realist, Thor.” Loki stood and stretched. “And because I’m a realist I know those two will drag their argument out, until it’s too late to come to a consensus before the council ends for the day. That way they can badger the other chieftains at the feast this evening to try to reverse their votes. You don’t need my advice on a contract that won’t be submitted. I’m going for a walk.” 

Thor huffed his disapproval, but Loki knew it was because he could not leave the tedious meeting, as he, who held no official place in approving policy, could.

His leisurely steps took him down several winding corridors. Loki hummed a soft tune as he walked and made sure he did not out distance the sound of rustling skirts or the patter of hard soled shoes behind him. He entered a tiny walled garden he’d noticed the day before, and paused under the aromatic leaves of the balsam tree that shaded the overgrown lawn.

D’vinna sashayed into the garden, her skirts whisking from side to side. She appraised him with a bold glance from her sparkling eyes. “Prince Loki.”

“Lady D’vinna.” he nodded, giving her a courtesy title. “I see you have found this afternoons proceedings as dreary as I. What excuse did you give your father for stealing away to follow me?” Loki asked, letting his eyes drift over her figure and settle on the firm mounds of her breasts swelling over the top of her corset. 

“Follow you, your Highness? I assure you I was only trying to reach my quarters. The air in the council chamber is so stifling, that I was feeling faint.” She smiled innocently. “But I seem to have lost my way.”

“You really should be careful, dear girl.” Loki said stepping close to her. “There’s no telling what manner of creature may be lurking in the forgotten corners of this ancient pile.” He ran a finger up the corset lacings, paused for a moment then stroked up her throat to tilt her chin up. “Evil, lecherous monsters that would take advantage of a beautiful girl, lost and on her own.” 

He bent down and lowered his mouth to her soft full lips, warm and tasting of berries. She opened to his kiss, her hands twining in his hair. His tongue licked into her mouth as he deepened the kiss. She was all softness and heat and returned his kiss with a fiery passion that kindled his blood. The flowery intoxicating scent of her hair, the warm smoothness of her skin under his hands, drove into his mind like a blade of pure lust.

Loki gathered her into his arms, crushing her against him. His heart leapt and his pulse raced when she molded her supple body against his. He lifted her off her feet in his suddenly impassioned embrace, one arm around her slender waist and the other cupping her skirt clad bottom. D’vinna wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her the few steps to the garden’s towering wall and shoved her back against the dry stone. 

He lifted her skirts and ran his hands over bare skin, nothing between them but the leather of his pants. He moaned as he kissed her mouth, her chin and down her throat, thrusting his hips and rubbing against her mons. He ached for her, there was no attempt at his usual seduction, no gentle touches and coy words, his body burned with animal need. 

“Yes! Yes take me my Prince.” She panted and licked her hot tongue into the rim of Loki’s ear. 

Her words spurred him on and he fumbled one handed at the lacing of his pants, struggling with ties that defied his desperate fingers. He growled in frustration and ripped the thin leather apart, squirming his pants low enough to free his trapped cock. His fingers stroked up, he had just enough sense left to rub them over her damp curls and between the warm folds in an effort to arouse her. But there was no need, she was as open and wet as though he had spent the last hour on his knees pleasuring her with his mouth. That thought drove Loki past all stopping and he pushed his aching cock against her slick heat, parting her silken folds with the reddened glans and burying his full length into her tight wet cunt. 

She moaned in pleasure and pulled his head back by his hair. He rutted like a beast with hard deep strokes, his eyes wide and unfocused, and D’vinna took his mouth with vicious biting kisses. Her teeth drawing blood, the taste hot and coppery in his mouth. 

“Unnh!” he cried and she rocked her hips into his thrusts. Her fingers were tangled in his hair, her nails clawing his scalp, the stinging pain adding to his pleasure. She was twisting beneath him, his armor pressed bruising hard on her breasts as he pounded her against the wall. Her mouth hurt his throat, biting and sucking and biting again, marking his skin. Loki was gasping in low short moans as he drove faster. He was lost in the feel of her slippery clasping cunt surrounding his cock. 

One lone part of his mind wondered that he would fuck her against the wall like a frantic stable boy screwing a wayward maid. But she shifted her hips up pulling him in deeper and digging her nails into his scalp, and she bit hard on his throat. All thought fled in the overwhelming sensation. Loki cried out as he came, pleasure throbbing through his body, his cock pulsing strong and slow. Then blinding pain pierced his skull and he screamed, sliding to his knees and carrying her down with him. He threw his head back to scream again and pleasure surged into his brain. The pain lost between one breath and the next. He fell forward, gasping, his head on her shoulder. She stroked her fingers through his hair and calmed his shuddering breaths with a soft kiss. 

“Easy my Prince, it’s all right. Shhh...” 

He let himself be comforted. It was so much easier to give in to the gentle touches. To close his eyes and rest in her arms. To let himself be lulled by the late afternoon heat of the walled garden, the drowsy buzz of insects and soft warm scent of her skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thor need to pay attention if he really wants to be a king. Loki needs to think with his other head for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confused and discombobulated Loki. Thor to the reluctant rescue. Feelings.

The stone was cold under his butt and against his back. He rubbed his palms across eyes that felt glued shut. The light was fading and shadows covered half the garden. He was alone. His head ached and his thoughts were slow and thick. Loki tried to push himself to his feet and instead ended up on his hands and knees as the garden tilted and swayed like a ship in a heavy sea. Something rolled away and hit the wall with a soft clink. He paid it little attention. The sound of the small fountain was more important. He heard his brother, somewhere in the corridors calling his name. The echoes rumbled like thunder in a sultry summer sky.

His head throbbed, his mouth was sticky and dry, and he craved the splashing water. Moving slowly he crawled toward the fountain, pausing to hitch up his pants to keep them on. The lacing was still tied, but the stitching of the fly had given way, he vaguely remembered tearing at the material to get them off. He didn’t know where his belt was. It didn’t matter. The water mattered. Thor was still hollering and Loki wished he’d stop. 

“Be Silent Thor!” he said and winced at the sound of his own voice. If Thor was quiet, then Loki reasoned it meant he was found. And he felt so very lost. 

Despite the garden turning around like a carousel and the tree getting in his way he made it to the fountain and rested his arms on its mossy edge. The water was refreshing and cold and he lowered his head and drank, washing the sweet, sticky taste from his mouth, easing his thirst. He dipped his face in the water, reached his hands in and scooped more water, cold and soothing into his hair. It felt so good. He just needed to rest in the healing coolness. His eyes slid closed.  
***

Thor was annoyed. It was bad enough that Loki had bailed out of the council meeting to meet with that girl, and leave Thor to deal with the bickering Dwarves. But it was time and past for the evening feast and still no sign of Loki. He’d spotted D’vinna by Invarr’s side while he spoke to Mitinder prior to them taking their seats. As much as he wanted to ask her about his brother, he could hardly do so while she was in the presence of her father and the High Chief. 

Thor apologized for Loki’s absence, and as soon as he was able, he left the party to hunt for him. He’d been roaming the warren of tunnels and passageways in the citadel for the better part of an hour, when he heard his brother’s slurred voice telling him to be silent. He picked up his pace and followed the dusty corridor to where it opened into an abandoned garden.

For a moment Thor didn’t see Loki, so well did his clothing of green and black blend into the evening shadows and thick grass and bushes that filled the tiny plot. Then he spotted him draped over a fountain with his head under water and his arms outstretched floating on the surface.

“LOKI!” Thor sprinted across the lawn and dragged Loki from the pool. Quickly throwing his brother over his shoulder he pounded his chest to expel any water in his lungs. 

Loki sputtered, coughed, kicked and flailed. “What’re you doing? Stopped it! Put me down!”

“I’m saving your life! You were drowning.” Thor said, and released his struggling brother.

Loki’s knees went out from under him and he abruptly sat down on the thick grass.

“I was not! Never.” Loki looked up at Thor and blinked. “I was… resting.”

“Fish rest in water Loki, and you’re not a fish.”

“I could be. A fish. A fishy fish. A splichy fishy fish.” He giggled.

Thor looked at his bedraggled brother, wet hair plastered to his head, his gauntlets and tunic soaked, water running down his leather armor, his pants hanging open. Loki was swaying in slow circles as he sat and his eyes kept drifting off of Thor.

“You are drunk.” Thor said. “Again.”

“I am not so. So not. I didn’t drink. Just water.” Loki pouted at Thor’s look of doubt. “You donded believe me.” Though a memory of an urging smile and a jug and sweet burning liquid in his mouth, bobbed to the surface of his mind.

“Your breath reeks of that double distilled apple cider the Dwarves favor and you can neither speak clearly nor stand on your own.” Thor said as he scanned the garden. “Also brother, there’s an empty cider jug by the wall.” He sighed, “Where is your belt?”

“I donno.” Loki yawned and raised his arms. “Help me up, I’m tired.”

Thor glanced about. “We’ll never find it in this light. I don’t know why you can’t wear something besides green or black once in a while.” 

“I like green.” Loki answered and waved his hands to capture Thor’s attention.

Thor reached down and took Loki’s hands hauling him to his feet. Loki fell forward, almost knocking him down. He threw his arms around Thor’s neck and hung loosely on his chest as he staggered back. Thor tried to get a hold of him and ended up with a handful of bare arse as Loki’s undone pants slid off his narrow hips.  
Loki laughed as they reeled back and forth. “This is fun.” He leaned back. “Dance with me, brother.” 

“Damn it Loki, hold still.” Thor bent and grabbed the back of Loki’s pants, pulling them back up. He tried to set him on his feet but Loki’s legs kept getting tangled in his own and he seemed unable to support his own weight. “Loki what did you do to your pants?”

“They wouldn’t come openedid. I wanted to fuck. Fuck D’vinna-inna. I like to fuck, Thor. It feels good.” He eyed his brother owlishly. “Donded you like to fuck?

Thor gave up trying to get Loki standing and lifted his boneless brother into his arms. “Most people do, Loki.” he said.

Loki snuggled, lay his head on Thor’s shoulder and pressed his face against his neck, breathing in his familiar scent of leather and male and Thor’s own smell of summer rain. “I love you Thor. You’re the bestest brother in all the realmses.”

“Uh huh.” Thor shifted his brother and carried him across the garden. He paused to see that the hall was clear. He really didn’t want to have to explain Loki’s drunken state or start a swarm of rumors. Luckily no one was in sight. Most would still be at the feast and he should be able to get Loki to his rooms without incident.

Loki was nuzzling his neck and murmuring something against his skin. It felt altogether too good and raised an uncomfortable flush to Thor’s face.

“Would you stop that?” Thor said as he made his way up the corridor. “I’m not your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Loki answered and kissed Thor under his ear. “You smell like home. I’m tired, I want to go home Thor. Take me home.” 

“I’m taking you to your rooms. You know we can’t go home till the treaty is ironed out.” Thor hoped Loki was drunk enough that he would not remember this. He’d be insufferable for weeks if he did. Embarrassment did not sit well with his prickly brother. “I could have used your help, this afternoon.”

“No, you didn’t need me. I’m the extra one. No one needs me. Nobody likes me.” Loki whined. “Nobody loves me. Only you.” He worried Thor’s earlobe with his teeth.

“Don’t be silly, Father and Mother love you. Sif and Fandral and Hogun and Volstagg like you. That Dwarven girl likes you.” Thor shook his head to get Loki’s mouth away from his ear and the troubling sensations it was engendering. “A lot of people like you, Loki.”

“No. Father only yells at me and looks disappointed, and Mother sighs and looks sad. And they’re your friends not mine. They are always mad at me.” Loki went back to kissing the side of Thor’s neck. “She doesn’t like me, she just wants to fuck me. And leave me all alone afterward.” He sniffed in self-pity. 

“Perhaps if you didn’t pull so many pranks and instigate so much trouble, people would not be so upset with you, brother.” Norns, Thor thought, where was the stairway up to their rooms? Loki was speaking a lot clearer now that he wasn’t trying to walk. Which meant, in Thor’s experience he’d remember every word and action. Thor shuddered at the thought of his retaliation.

“But I can’t stand knowing what will happen next!” Loki cried in anguish. “I can’t! I have to make things different. I have to make it so I don’t know. It’s too dull otherwise.”

“Most people like knowing what comes next.” Thor countered. “The unknown is frightening to them. And you cause a lot of inconvenience also, Loki. Father is tired of smoothing the feathers you ruffle. And Mother is tired of soothing Father.” Ah, Thor thought crossing a familiar space, here it was. He clambered up the stairs, thankful Loki was at least physically quiet.

“It’s not my fault people are cowardly. I just want to have fun.” Loki nuzzled Thor’s hair. “You like to have fun. Don’t you?”

One more hallway and he could put his troublesome brother down, Thor thought. “Yes, Loki I like to have fun. But not everyone shares your sense of humor. You can be cruel and that doesn’t earn you friends.” 

“They’re cruel to me. I know what they say. But you don’t think my magic is stupid do you?” He leaned his head back to peer unfocused eyes into Thor’s face. “You don’t think that I’m weak and womanly because of it.” 

“Norns no Loki. I’ve fought with you and beside you.” Thor pushed the door open and entered Loki’s room. The mention of Loki’s magic made him uncomfortable. It was considered a feminine pursuit and though Loki had saved him and his friends on numerous occasions, he still felt a little ashamed that his brother was a mage. “You are a capable warrior.”

He crossed the outer room and into the bed chamber and placed Loki down on the soft coverlet.

Loki tightened his grip on Thor’s neck as he bent over and pulled him down on top of him. “They call me egri brother, when they think I can’t hear them. If I’m to bear the name at least let me have the pleasure of it.” His mouth was hot on Thor’s lips, greedy, demanding. He wrapped his legs around his brother’s thighs and squirmed his hips. “Fuck me, Thor! I want you!” He pled.

“Loki!” Thor struggled to pry off his brother’s octopus grip. His face was hot and he could feel more heat building in his groin at his slender, supple sibling’s words. “This is wrong! Stop it right now!”

“No!” Loki half sobbed, clinging to his brother like a limpet. “Everything I want is wrong. I don’t care. I need you! I’m so horny. You want me too. I can feel it Thor. Don’t lie to me.” He rocked his hips, his cock hardening as it rubbed on the soft leather of Thor’s pants.

 

Thor finally managed to get disentangled from Loki’s grasp. He stood up looking down at his wreck of a brother. Loki’s eyes wide, unfocused and vulnerable, his lips parted and wet and reddened, his hard cock displayed through the torn fly. 

“Ymir’s balls Loki, even were I so inclined I wouldn’t take you drunk as you are.” He backed away from the raw need on Loki’s face and went into the bathing room, ostensibly to get a towel to dry his brother’s hair but mostly to rearrange his own cock that was twisted and aching in his pants. He splashed water on his face and returned to the bedroom.

Loki lay on his side crying. “What’s wrong with me? Why am I so wrong?”

Thor sat beside him and started drying Loki’s sodden hair. “It’s alright, it’s alright brother.” He gave a soft contrived laugh. “Why wouldn’t you want me? I’m the greatest thing is all the nine realms! You’d be mad not to.”

“You oaf.” Loki replied shoving him. “You are so full of yourself.” Taking the out Thor offered, away from the confusing and conflicting feelings. “Give me that towel, you’re too rough. My head hurts.” 

Thor busied himself removing Loki’s boots and socks and helped undo the buckles of his wet leather gauntlets and stiff damp armor. With his help Loki peeled off his soaked tunic. He shimmied out of his torn pants while Thor fished through his clothes chest and pulled out a night shirt. Loki was shivering as Thor helped him get it over his head and he quickly pulled it down to cover his still rigid cock. Thor pulled the blankets over him and smoothed his drying curls back from his pale face. 

“Will you be alright Loki?” Thor asked.

“I’m fine.” Loki said sulkily and turned away from him. “Just go away.” Thor could hear the whine in his voice. 

“I need to rest for a few minutes before I go to my room.” Thor said curling against Loki’s back outside the blankets. “You’re no light weight to be carted all over this labyrinth.” 

“Suit yourself, I’m sure my wishes don’t matter in the least.” Loki said. Making no effort to move away. 

“They don’t.” 

Thor could hear Loki’s soft sigh and the way his breathing slowed as he lay an arm around his waist. He held his brother close, letting him drift off to sleep. Trying not to think about what had just occurred. Trying to put Loki’s actions down to overindulgence. Not wanting to examine his body’s enthusiastic response to his brother’s drunken overtures. Or the pictures now arising in his restless mind.

When he was sure Loki was fast asleep Thor slipped out and returned to his own rooms. He spent the night in fitful slumber, punctuated by erotic dreams which featured a long limbed and passionate sprite, who called him brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting a bit warmer. Loki talks way too much when he's been drinking. Which is why he doesn't do it. The plot thickens.. or something does.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More meetings. Thor lays down the law. Loki skulks. A trap is laid

Thor breathed a sigh of relief. For the third day in a row his brother had kept to his rooms and it looked like he was giving the council meeting a pass again. As much as he could use Loki’s advice, he would rather thrash out the contracts by himself, than deal with his notoriously difficult brother after the other night’s debacle. Thor hoped that he was wrong in his estimation of Loki’s intoxication and that he didn’t remember any of it. Their relationship was demanding enough without ... Thor shook his head. Truly he didn’t want to think about this. 

Thor wrenched his attention back to the chieftain reading the petition to include his goldsmiths’ jewelry in the next outbound trade package. The price was too high for the quality of work. Simply adding more gold to a piece, did not improve its value. The arm bands he had been offered as samples were far too gaudy even by Asgard’s standards. He would not waste space in the cargo shipments for inferior workmanship. Let them find another market. However he had to listen to the entire petition before turning it down, in case there was something concealed in the interminable request. His mind drifted back to his problem brother.

Late this morning he’d passed Loki returning to his room, hunched and sickly pale, clutching a cup of his vile hangover cure and moving like he’d clawed his way out of Niflhel. Other than an impersonal scowl he’d ignored Thor all together. The fact that he’d allowed himself to be seen in his rumpled state spoke to how bad he was feeling. There were rumors in the halls now about his drinking and it troubled Thor. That there were other rumors about D’vinna’s frequent visits did nothing to assuage his worries.

He knew something else was wrong. Loki didn’t drink to excess. It had been almost a hundred years since he’d last seen his brother drunk. The first time might be a miscalculation, for the Dwarven mead was potent even by Aesir standards, but to be drunk four nights in a row? Drunk to the point of passing out? Even drunk he guarded his thoughts behind a screen of sarcasm and insults. Usually the more he had to drink, the crueler his tongue and the more vicious his wit. One reason why Loki didn’t drink too much was because he accumulated enemies when he did. Not that making enemies bothered Loki, but even Thor knew it was important that it be done purposely and not because he couldn’t control his caustic humor.

To lay himself bare as he had the other night? It shook Thor. It wasn’t his confident, clever, troublemaking brother he had carried to his room, but a desperate and lonely boy, beset with doubts. That he, Thor, had grown so used to the mask, that he didn’t recognize Loki without it, troubled him deeply. That ergi comment… Everyone knew that seidr was argr, the practice of magic an unmanly pursuit, which is why for the most part its adherents were women. But to name a prince ergi… Perhaps that revelation was why he was spending his nights drinking and sporting with the girl.

Thor was aware of the sudden silence and realized that the Dwarf had stopped his speech.  
“You have made many points that I will have to think on.” Thor said, hoping the man had made at least a few. “Please leave your petition and I will review your request and give you my answer once all the petitions have been served.” 

The fellow looked disgruntled, as this wasn’t tradition. Thor scowled at the man and thunder boomed overhead. The chieftain placed his papers on the broad table and backed away.

Thor decided he’d had enough of tradition for the day. If they wanted to read their damned petitions aloud let them read them to their own High Chieftain and let him decide which ones were important enough to be passed on. Why else had they elected him? Niðavellir was a vassal realm after all and Thor was a prince of Asgard who had better things to do then spend his afternoons listening to a bunch of selfish old men bickering.

Lightening cracked across the sky and a second louder rumble of thunder shook through the building as Thor rose to his feet. He looked around the room and tried to throttle back his sudden anger.

“Men,” he paused as he remembered two of the chieftains were female, “and women of Niðavellir, while I value hearing from each and every one of you, it is my belief that your concerns would be better answered if you would first address them to your own High Chieftain. In this way Mitinder, who has a truer understanding of the needs and concerns of your world, may present a final recommendation to Asgard.”

Thor paused and scanned the room. He quelled the rising muttering with a thump of Mjölnir onto the table which cracked the thick oak in half and sent the afternoon’s paperwork fluttering to the stone floor. Thunder echoed the noise and the wind howled like a demon around the towers of the citadel. He spoke in a carefully controlled growl.

“For I know, that while you all have concerns of your own, you will happily set them aside to reach an accord for the sake of all your people.” He glared at them in his best Odin impression. “Lest you lose Asgard’s good favor by this continued quarreling among yourselves.”

The room was deadly silent and Thor hoped he had not overstepped his authority, but at this point he would welcome an honest fight instead of all this underhanded squabbling. 

He inclined his head to Mitinder who returned the courtesy with a full bow. “I leave these proceedings in your capable hands High Chieftain.” 

Mitinder met his eyes in a level look that contained more approval then the sharp eyed man had shown to him since he had arrived. “Very well Prince Thor. I will see that the wishes of Asgard are carried out in this matter.” 

He bowed again and turned to his own people with an expression that kept them silent as Thor marched out of the room. The sudden clamor of voices behind him was swallowed up by the torrential pounding rain as the storm broke.

*******

Thor rode the gale, the lightning cracking from hilltop to boiling clouds. The thunder roaring, rain deluging the countryside. He’d called the evening rain, tame and gentle for years in Asgard, a soft watering of fields and gardens, which left the city sparkling in the morning sun. So common a job he had almost forgotten the exhilarating power of a true storm. But now the winds bore him up and the lightning answered his anger, crackling and burning as it blasted turf and turned stone to slag. The wind whipped branches and shredded the dying leaves from the autumn trees, swirling them skyward in waves of red and brown and gold.

He drove the squall across the landscape for hours, his frustration at the dwarves and the worries for his brother causing the storm to increase to tornadic strength. The sun was touching the horizon when Thor finally let the storm go. The clouds calmed and the rain slowed into a soft mist drifting away from the citadel to the south. Thor aimed his hammer back toward the ancient pile and alighted in the sodden courtyard. He was clear headed after the release of the thunderstorm, his bad temper scoured away with the rain. The setting sun cast a rainbow on the mist that shrouded the high moors. Thor thought of their ride a few days ago and concern for his brother grew. 

He crossed the courtyard and strode through the hallways and up the stairs to their rooms. He’d check in on Loki even if it earned him nothing but curses. There was strange sense of urgency in his mind and he hurried around the turning that led to the short hall were their rooms were. A young girl was paused at the door to his brother’s room, trying to balance an oversized tray as she fumbled at the door. She looked up at Thor’s heavy tread. 

“Oh” she said with a shy smile and bobbed a curtsy, which was cut short as she grappled with the tray. Thor recognized her as… Leanna? or Alana? One of Mitinder’s younger daughters, no more than twelve years of age, learning the roles of the citadels servants whom she would one day command. It seemed a strange custom to Thor but he supposed it had its merits.

He stepped forward and took the heavy tray from her hands. 

“Let me take care of this.” He said with a smile. “I’ve a need to speak to my brother.” 

“But I was told to deliver the meal to Prince Loki myself.” She looked faintly puzzled at her own words.

“And so you have, for I will take it to him.” Thor beamed at her and placed himself between her and the closed door. “For surely you do not mean to go unaccompanied into his rooms?

She started, scandalized at the very thought of what she had been about to do. “No, of course not. I…” she paused, bobbed another, lighter curtsey and said “Thank you Prince Thor.” before she turned and hurried down the hallway.

Thor frowned. She ought to never been up here in the men’s quarters at all. One of the manservants should have brought up the tray. The sense of wrongness lingered. Thor placed the tray on the side tale and knocked on Loki’s door. A low grumbling growl was his only answer. He was glad he’d intervened, no young child, girl or boy should ever have to deal with his brother in one of his fouler moods. He tried the door, it opened to his touch, so he picked up the tray and carried it inside. 

He didn’t see Loki, probably in the bath he thought, and shut the door behind him. Thor turned and had just placed the tray on the table when a swift movement caught his attention. With reflexes trained from a thousand battles he pulled Mjölnir and met the attack with a sideways swipe. To his horror he saw the hammer hit his brother a glancing blow on his ribs that threw him across the room and into the wall. 

But Loki had twisted at the last minute and the strike only bruised his ribs instead of crushing his bare chest. He turned in midair like a cat and hit the wall feet first and launched himself again at Thor using the recoil of his momentum. He snarled like a beast, his hands were curled like claws and there was nothing in his eyes but madness and rage. Thor dropped the hammer to grapple Loki hand to hand. He brother was not only unarmored and unarmed but unclothed save for his belt and despite his years of experience was attacking with neither skill nor thought. It took Thor but a few moments to pin his smaller sibling under his superior weight. 

Loki clawed ineffectually at his armor till Thor caught his wrists and pulled them behind his back. He had managed to bite him on the forearm deep enough to draw blood, but it was such a minor wound Thor paid it no mind. He called Mjölnir to his hand and pinned Loki on his belly by the simple method of laying the hammer on the small of his back. As the weapon touched the leather, the belt started to smoke and burn and Loki howled in pain. With a quick wrench Thor flipped Loki on his back and loosed the silver buckle dragging the smoldering belt away from Loki’s writhing body. He threw the thing across the room where it twisted like a snake and burned away into ashes.

Loki lay on his side, shivering and panting, a blistered and reddened band around his waist. His eyes were wide and frightened but no longer mad. 

“Thor.” He looked up at his older brother in pain and confusion. “What happened?” He hissed as he tried to sit up, and collapsed back to the floor. In sudden embarrassment he covered his erect cock. Thor noted there were other marks on his pale skin. Bruised reddened rings around his wrists and thin ankles bore witness to the fact he’d been restrained at some point. Thor pulled the coverlet off the bed and wrapped it around his brother before lifting him up and laying him on the bed. He pulled away quickly, fearful of a repeat of the other evening’s antics but Loki just lay on his back. His face tight with pain.

Thor walked around the room. Noticing Loki’s clothes, which he always hung up, piled at the foot of the bed. 

“What have you been playing at brother?” Thor asked and picked up four of Loki’s silk scarves that were laying crumpled and knotted on the floor around the bed. He picked out strands of silk from the footboard and looked down at his shame faced brother.

“It was just a game Thor, that’s all. A bit of fun.” Loki tried to smirk but he was too shaken from pain and uncertainty to pull it off. 

“Let me guess.” Thor said sitting on the bed. “Your little Dwarven girl, the one who by your own words, left you vulnerable and alone the other night, so drunk you almost accidently drown yourself, turned up here and convinced you to let her tie you up for the promise of burying your dick in her cunt. Am I correct so far?”

“It’s not like that.” Loki grumbled. “I asked her to do it.” He looked defiance into Thor’s narrowed eyes. 

“Truly, Loki?” Thor answered leaning closer. “Because from what I see, you have got yourself so entangled with this witch you don’t even know what you want.”

“Leave it Thor, it’s none of your business. Loki said turning his back on his brother.

“None of my business?” Thor snarled, and pulled Loki over on his back, “None of my business that my brother is so enamored that he forgets all duty to chase after a girl he knows nothing of. That he spends his days in hiding and his nights in debauchery and drunkenness? That he has a cursed belt around his waist so he’d attack the first person who came through that door like a crazed animal? None of my business that the person who was supposed to be attacked and most likely raped by you is our host’s little girl?” 

Loki blanched at his words.

Thor grasped his shoulder and shook his brother.

“How exactly is that none of my business?”

“What are you talking about?” Loki asked, “I didn’t attack anyone, you attacked me.”

“What? Are you mad?”

“You came into the room with that tray and you set it down. I walked up and spoke to you and you turned and hit me with your hammer, and then you pinned me on the floor and…” Loki trailed off. he put his hands on his head.

“And what brother?” Thor demanded. “Stripped you naked? Set your belt on fire with magic you know I don’t possess?”

“Stop Thor. You’re making my head hurt. I don’t remember.” Loki whined and shut his eyes.

“Loki you have to fight this.” Thor reached his hand up to smooth his brother’s hair back from his face. “I don’t know how to break this enchantment.”

“There’s no enchantment!” Loki hissed out between clenched teeth. “Are you so jealous that you made up this tale to discredit the one person who cares about me? Fuck Thor. You won’t admit you want me. Yet I am to remain celibate to ease your pride? Is that how you mean to control me? You should be happy it’s a woman who rides me instead of another man.”

Thor drew back in shock. “Loki you aren’t thinking clearly.” 

Loki sat up, the blanket falling to his waist. Shaking in rage. His eyes looked like burned holes in his ashen face.

“I’m very clear on one thing Thor. You leave me alone or I swear I’ll go down to the town and invite every man who so much as looks at me to fuck my ass on the open street. And I’ll scream your name while they do it.” 

Thor rose up to his full height. Standing over his trembling brother. He bit back the anger raging in his own mind. “You are not well brother.”

Loki laughed shrilly. “Oh lovely, why don’t you run along and find a healing stone that will cure love, hmm?”  
“Get out!” He spat at Thor but the spittle barely cleared his mouth. “Get out!” He was half sobbing. “You make my head hurt.” He lay back down and curled into a ball, his arms wrapped around his head, crying “Go away, please go away Thor. I can’t take this pain.”

Thor called his hammer and backed toward the door. Guilt and anger and pity warred within him. He didn’t know how to fix Loki’s madness. He remembered the tray and picked it up. He would leave nothing sent by the witch’s hand for his brother.

He cast one last look at his brother’s gaunt huddled form and shut the door behind him. He would deal with the witch first and then try to sort out Loki. He only hoped it was something he could heal.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki hurts. Thor is pissed. Dark magic.

Loki’s head vibrated with pain. His eyes burned from tears that were too much salt and too little water and his tongue was thick and dry in his mouth. He wanted to scream Thor’s name and beg him to come back, to somehow save him from his own ravaged mind. But every time he thought of his brother the pain in his head increased. 

He drew his breath slowly, trying to focus on the simple act of taking in air, and he shook with the effort of it. The paths of condemnation were well worn circles in his brain, self-incrimination, guilt, anger, shame, lust. He tried to wrench himself away from that downward cycle. His focus scattered and his mind boiled with shreds of consciousness. He didn’t know what was real and what was nightmare anymore. Past and present and future all tangled in a web of broken plans and warped magic. His brother’s words clawed and bit at him. Enchantment, witch, not well, cursed… that stuck. He was cursed. Cursed by his own words, his own lust, his own deviant love. 

He ached. 

He needed.

Curled on his side he dropped his hands to his still erect cock and rocked. His cock pulsed in time with the throbbing in his head and he thought for a moment he was going to be sick. He wondered how that would feel, to retch and come at the same time. It made him harder, nothing was forbidden anymore. Not now, not when he had made his perverse feelings known. Not when Thor had pushed him away. The tearing pain of his brother’s rejection made his throat close so tight he could hardly breathe. He fucked the pain, drown himself in the shame. Loki thought how his golden brother would look at him in disgust, would slam him to earth and beat him bloody. Would throw his worthless ass into the darkest dungeon for his filthy desires. 

He rutted harder, the drumming pain in his head driving him on. Seeking the mindlessness of release that would allow him to rest if only for a few brief hours till the madness claimed him again. He could almost feel Thor’s hands on his throat, squeezing out his pathetic life. His brother’s breath hot on his skin, his weight pining him down, breaking him, cursing him, killing him. 

He yelped as the spikes of pain in his head seared behind his closed eyes, he could count them now, five gleaming shards that splintered his psyche. Their burning punishment was all he needed to spur him over the edge, his heart stuttered, his back arched and he came, wheezing in long shuddering gasps, crying out, “Thor! Thor! Please, end me! Please. Brother please…make it stop.” 

He lay panting, too weak to move. Thirst was not enough to prod him from this blessed lassitude, this sweet emptiness of being. He cared not about the stickiness of his seed drying on his belly and hands and the crumbled sheets. He had long since lost any sense of cleanliness. Pain receded to a distant sound, like waves crashing on the edge of the horizon. He was sliding into the familiarity of a blackout. He prayed that death would take him this time. That he would not awake to more games and craving and the soft poisonous caresses that bent his already twisted soul into labyrinthine foulness. 

****

Thor stalked down to the feast hall looking for Invarr and D’vinna. The servants who were setting up the evening meal cringed back from his angry shouts and disavowed any knowledge of where the pair were quartered. He turned and stormed through the corridors that lead to the High Chieftain’s private household. Two guards flanked the ornate doorway and crossed their pikes when he would have entered. Thor raised his hammer and lightening crackled around its head.

“Hold Prince Thor!” One of the guards challenged him. “What is your business with the High Chieftain that you would approach in so warlike a manner?” The guardsman pointed his pike at Thor’s chest. Thor almost struck him down were he stood, so great was his ire. As he stared into the frightened yet determined eyes of the guard he could hear the memory of his brother’s voice whisper in his head. “Thor you oaf, not every problem is a nail to be solved by hitting it with your hammer.”

He lowered Mjölnir and took a breath. There was no evidence that Mitinder was involved in the witch’s work. It would be foolish to provoke the man when he might need his help. 

“I need to speak with the High Chieftain on a matter of some import.” Thor managed through clenched teeth.

The guard didn’t lower the pike. 

“I will send your request, Prince Thor. You may wait in the council hall for the answer.” The guard continued when Thor didn’t budge. “It is not the custom to entertain foreign guests, no matter how exalted, in our Chieftain’s private residence. Does Asgard not have a similar tradition?” 

Thor’s eyes narrowed at the guard’s effrontery to compare Mitinder’s position to that of the All-Father.

Again it was Loki’s counsel that held him back. “Do not start a war over your pride brother. Father will not thank you for it.”

He bit back on his anger and growled. “Very well. Tell him it is urgent.”

Thor had paced the empty council room for ten long minutes before The High Chieftain made his appearance. Not much time if he was being reasonable, but Thor was not. He was even more unreasonable when heard Mitinder’s reply after he stated his complaint against Invarr and his daughter. 

“Where is your proof?” The Chieftain asked. “I do not doubt your word that your brother is acting unreasonable, but Prince Loki is known for such behavior. Did he not turn a servant on Alfheimr into a rat because the boy annoyed him?” 

“Vanaheimr,” Thor corrected him “and it was a mouse. But that was only a…” Thor stopped. It had put the boy at considerable risk even though Loki had meant it for a joke. “a temporary spell. The boy is fine now.” He finished, aware of how bad his explanation sounded.

“Thor so far all you have told me is that you brother is acting like a drunken fool over some girl.” Mitinder said. “That is hardly grounds for charging her with witchcraft. Everyone knows your brother is a skilled sorcerer. How could some slip of a girl overcome him?” 

Thor considered telling him of the potential attack on his daughter and decided against it. Without proof of D’vinna’s involvement it only made Loki look like the culprit. By Thor’s own witness the enspelled belt was Loki’s. Every cruel prank that Loki had pulled in the past would lead them to think he was capable of anything. The High Chieftain would undoubtedly demand at least a return to Asgard in chains for Loki and at worst his head on a pike for the insult.

Thor felt a wash of guilt. He knew why Loki had turned to the witch. Thor had rejected him, told him he was wrong, and made a joke of his forbidden attraction. He should have handled it better though he had no idea how he could have. Loki’s drunken outpouring had been so unexpected and his own visceral response so disconcerting. Thor shook his head He’d have to tackle that mess later. Right now he needed to focus on keeping His brother safe.

“I’ll find out all that I can about the girl, Thor.” Mitinder said. “And pass it on to you.”  
Thor thanked the High Chieftain for listening to his concerns, though he really wanted to put him through a wall. He returned to his rooms to think up some way to trap the witch.

As he entered, Thor noticed the abandoned tray was still sitting on the table. He decided to empty its contents into the privy. He didn’t want any innocent servant stealing a bite of whatever enchanted food it held. He lifted the lid and there was almost the same innocuous meal that he himself had carried up to Loki four days ago. Bread and butter, thin soup and hot tea with the addition of some sliced fruit on the side. 

Thor remembered what happened when Mjölnir touched the sorcerous belt. He reached for his hammer and passed it over the food. It changed before his eyes. He recoiled in disgust and choked down the bile that rose in his throat. The bread was furred with mold and the butter rancid and stinking, the soup filled with rotten meat, splintered bones and putrid vegetables. The tea reeked of wormwood and a dead fly floated on its oily surface. The fruit was covered in the slime of its own decay. 

He quickly dumped the mess into the toilet and washed away the stench from his shaking hands. 

He was burning with rage at the thought of Loki consuming that garbage unawares. That he himself had carried a dose of the poison to Loki was insufferable. No wonder his brother looked so ill and thin. To the lowest pit of Niflhel with the dwarves and their machinations, he was taking his brother home. If Odin was angry because of his failure so be it. He wasn’t going to further risk Loki’s life for the sake of his own prestige.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It keeps spiraling downward. Really, it was supposed to be bit of light porn.  
> Loki's advice is still guiding Thor's actions for the better. The witch is good at covering her ass.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor to the rescue.

Thor barged into Loki’s room, his hammer clenched in his hand. Fury wreathing his form in blue white crackles of lightening.

“Loki!” He boomed. “Wake up. We are going home.”

His brother remained on his side, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow and wheezing. Thor stepped toward him and he moaned, jerked his head, his hands in sharp uncoordinated motions. 

“Loki!” Thor’s voice was softer, but his brother still twitched and jerked unconsciously. He moved up the side of the bed but with every inch forward Loki’s agitation increased. His forehead furrowed in pain, the moaning turned to whimpering, he twisted back and forth on the bed kicking at the coverlet, hands clawing at the bed, at the blanket, then at his own skull. His eyelids fluttered half open reveling a slice of white. Loki’s whimpers turned to cries of pain as Thor leaned on the bed. 

“It’s alright, Loki. I’m here I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Thor reached out and grasped his brother’s shoulder to shake him out of nightmare.

Loki shrieked an ear splitting cry of agony and his body arched in spasm so hard Thor thought his back would break. He startled back from the bed in fear he had somehow hurt his brother with his power. Loki collapsed back on the tangled sheets, tossing and turning erratically. His eyes half closed, mewling in pain. Thor looked over his shoulder at the open door. While it was true Loki’s rooms were the last on the hall his scream should have brought the others staying on this floor running, but no one responded to the noise. Thor backed further away from the bed watching his brother. As he did Loki settled down till he lay unmoving except for his erratic breathing. 

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught Thor’s attention and he turned to see one of the southern Chieftains and his assistant approaching. Their booted feet made no sound on the wooden floor. They paused in front of the man’s room holding a silent conversation. Thor could see their lips moving, but he could hear no words. He watched amazed as the assistant tuned, looked right through him and walked soundlessly back down the hall. Thor called out to the other dwarf, but the man paid him no mind, continuing to look over the papers in one hand as he opened his door. His complete disregard confirmed Thor’s guess. The room was spelled to protect D’vinna while she worked her vile magic on his brother. 

Thor was sickened. Had Loki called for him? Called for his brother’s help only a room away and having no answer, thought Thor left him to the witch’s torment? Yet he’d passed him in the hall this very morning and Loki had said nothing to him. How deep were her hooks in him that she could let him roam the citadel, seemingly of his own volition. 

Thor looked back at Loki, uncertain of what to do. He took a tentative step closer and his brother again started to twitch and whimper in distress. 

“I cannot help him,” Thor thought, “if I cannot even approach him without causing him injury. I would rather face Father’s wrath at both of us then let this continue another hour.” 

“Heimdall!” Thor bellowed. “Heimdall open the bifrost and take us home.”

He waited without answer. When he realized that the witch’s concealment spell was blocking the watchman’s view Thor was even more concerned. That was something she should not have been able to do. He needed to get outside the room to call for help. Eager to get Loki home, Thor quickly strode the last few steps to the hall. He hit the open doorway as though it was a stone wall. He was bounced back into the room with such force he tripped against the small table and sent it clattering to the floor. 

Enraged Thor spun Mjölnir in his hand and slammed it into the invisible barrier. For a moment lightening flickered over the doorway outlining runes on the open air then it arched in a spider’s web over the ceiling, across the floor, around the wall in cryptic patterns. Thor spun around to follow its progress and to his horror the power danced and flickered to the center of the room before grounding itself in his brother’s unconscious form. Loki shrieked again and spasmed as the lightening slammed through his body. The bed clothes smoked and the rank smell of burnt hair fill the room. 

Loki’s eyes flicked fully open and he looked at Thor in despair, his voice a rasping whisper. 

“Make it quick, Thor. If ever you loved me, grant me that mercy.” His eyes closed, black lashes wet on faded skin. 

“Loki. No!” Thor cried out in shock.

The soft girlish laughter caused Thor to turn once more to the doorway. D’vinna stood just outside the frame. He raised his hammer and she smiled. 

“Go ahead Thunderer. Strike. Kill him. I’m sure your brother won’t last much past morning anyway. Either way his power will be mine. So will yours now that you were so obliging to step into the trap.” 

“You vile monster!” Thor snarled, shaking with rage.

She giggled like a happy child. “Thank you for warning me you were onto the game. All that foolish yelling and charging about. You gave me all the time I needed to set the snare. I had thought to have one last night of drawing out your brother’s torment. His shame and self-hatred had he managed to murder that girl would have been exquisite. But your pain as you watch him die will be even sweeter.”

“You will not win witch! You will not take his life. You come near him and I will end you.” Thor growled.

“I don’t have to come near him. He’s already dying. I just wait. And after he dies, you will follow. Can’t you feel the spell working? Aren’t you already feeling weaker, slower of thought?” She smiled again and blew Thor a kiss. Even now there was no outward sign of her inner evil. “Goodbye Loki my love.” she said in her lilting voice and turning away she faded into mist. 

“D’vinna” Loki croaked out, “Don’t go, don’t leave me.” 

The longing in Loki’s voice tore at Thor. He lowered his arm and his hammer slipped from his fingers to the floor. Unthinking he took two steps toward Loki who lay with his face hidden in is hands, weeping. Thor froze but his brother hadn’t responded to movement. He took another cautious stop forward then another and suddenly he was on the bed and cradling Loki in his arms. Loki clung to him shivering tangled in the blanket, dirty and cold.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry little brother.” Thor said rocking him. “I’ve been such a fool.”

“Idiot.” Loki said gasping against his neck. “Not all your fault. I should not have said what I did. No wonder you despise me.” 

“Loki, I don’t despise you.” Thor said “I… I was startled. I needed time to think.” He kissed his brother’s forehead.

Loki shuddered at the touch, whimpered. “My head hurts so much. Thor, please make it stop. I’m so cold.” His voice broken and lost like a child’s.

Tears wet Thor’s cheeks as he held his brother. “It’s alright. I’ll fix it Loki.” 

The cold at least he could do something about. He tried to lay his brother back down on the bed but his panic stricken cries made Thor stop. He calmed Loki, stroking his back till he lay quite in his arms again. Thor lifted him up and carried him into the bathing room. 

The bath was clean enough and Thor ran the water hot into the deep tub. He set Loki on the tile floor careful to keep a hand on him so he didn’t panic again, and began to remove his own clothing. His brother was too weak to sit up by himself and Thor knelt beside him to keep him upright. He disentangled Loki from the blanket, picked him up again, stepped into the water and eased his little brother down in front of him. He paused when Loki hissed as the warm water touched the burn mark around his waist.

“No its fine.” Loki panted. Though it obviously hurt.

“I don’t want to hurt you. I’ve done enough harm.” Thor started to raise him up but Loki tightened his grip on his brother’s arm. 

“Please, Thor the pain is not as bad as the cold.” Loki turned his head to look pleading, into his brothers eyes.

Thor bit his lip to hold back his words and finished lowering Loki into the bath, settling him between his thighs. Loki sighed as the warmth drove out some of the chill. Unbeknownst to Thor, he dropped his head to the chest deep water and drank, while his brother picked up the soap and a cloth from the edge of the tub and worked them into a lather. His thirst assuaged, Loki leaned back against Thor’s broad chest.

Thor gently washed Loki’s face with the soapy cloth, cleaning off days’ worth of grime. He washed down the long throat, bruised and marked with bites. It angered Thor that the witch had touched his brother’s skin and he wanted to scrub the bruises off. He cleaned his wide lean shoulders, his long arms, his chest, and his muscled abdomen careful to avoid the blistered burn. He leaned his brother forward to wash his back. There were long scratches inflamed and red from shoulder to his rump. Thor was gentle, but he knew it hurt Loki to have the shallow cuts cleaned. He held his anger at bay, lest he accidently harm his brother. He pulled Loki back to his hip, ignoring the brief surge of misplaced pleasure as his brother, naked and warm and wet, snuggled against him. 

“We will figure this out Loki. You are too smart to be trapped by a hedge witch.” Thor said, refusing to admit aloud his own fear. 

“How could they solve this when his own strength was turned against them,” he thought “and Loki’s clever mind was tangled in confusion?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thor's habit of charging in gets him in trouble. Loki is almost useless at this point. D'vinna revealed still looks and sounds cute and cuddly. I don't like the trope when the evil manipulator is suddenly physically ugly. Cute monsters that look harmless even after you know what they are, are worse in my opinion.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thinking Thor. Loki hurts.

Thor cupped his hands and scooped water to pour it over Loki’s tangled hair. There was a bottle on the shelf above the tub. Thor opened it and took a sniff, it smelled like his brother’s shampoo, cedar and sandalwood and a hint of sweet musk. He took a handful and worked it carefully into the wet curls. He could feel his brother tense. 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asked

“No.” Loki said “It feels good.” 

Thor gently worked the shampoo into Loki’s hair. When his fingers grazed his brother’s scalp, Loki yelped. He took a steadying breath as Thor took pulled his hands back. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean...”

“I know. Loki said in a strangled voice.

And suddenly launched himself half over the side of the tub. Thor caught Loki around the hips to keep him from spilling face first onto the floor. Head down Loki vomited up water and bile. Thor shifted his hold and hauled Loki up till his chest was on the side of the tub and Thor was holding his head while he emptied his belly.

“That bitch!” Thor swore. “I’ll break every bone in her evil body.”

“Brother, please listen.” Loki pleaded as the retching ceased. “I cannot” He paused, took a labored breath. “I cannot think of D’vinna as anything but loving and gentle and kind. I cannot hear your words against her. It is wrong Thor, and it makes my head hurt.”

Thor’s anger at Loki’s words made him want to shake some sense into his brother. “Loki,” he growled his hands tightening on Loki’s shoulders as he pulled him back into the tub. 

But his brother was already shaking, shaking with effort. Realization of what he had said dawned. Cannot, not will not.

“I understand brother.” Thor said, and he felt Loki relax under his hands. “She is all that is good to you.”

“Yes.” It was a sigh of relief.

“I will not speak against her again.” Thor said, allowing his anger to drain away. He stroked his hands down his brother’s chest holding him carefully. He felt so fragile, as though he would shatter if Thor clutched him too tightly. 

Loki’s hand touched his wrist and then he laced his fingers in Thor’s. 

“Her father is a noble craftsman.” Loki’s voice was strained. And he squeezed Thor’s hand for a moment.

Thor puzzled at the non sequitur. It had cost Loki to say that phrase. Thor held his brother and considered all he knew about Invarr. One of the Northern Chieftains. He strained to remember everything Loki had briefed him on, before they had arrived.

******

Loki cursing at him in the ship’s cabin.

“By Auðumla’s udders, Thor. Why don’t you read the damn reports? That’s why they were prepared. What is the good of having spies and informants in Niðavellir when you won’t bother to read their reports? ”

His lazy reply. “I did read them. As much as I deemed important.” He smiled at his brother’s frustration. “Why should I put myself to the trouble when we both know you are going to lecture me all the way to Niðavellir anyway? Besides brother, you are so much better at these things. I don’t understand why Father doesn’t let you do all of this word wrangling on your own.”

“Because, brother,” Spat Loki, as though the word was a curse. “You are the heir apparent. You are the one who will sit on the throne of Asgard one day and our Father thinks it best that you have a least an inkling of what the job entails. It would be best Thor, if you could give the impression that your intelligence is somewhat higher than an ox. That would help put off the inevitable revolt against your rule for at least a week or two.”

“I’m sure you would ferret out any revolutionists long before that happened, Loki.” Thor chuckled

“Unless I was leading them.” Loki grumbled half under his breath.

Thor laughed out loud. “In which case, brother, I may as well hand over the crown right now and be done with it. Save us all a lot of trouble.” He clapped Loki on the arm. “I give up. Hand me the reports and I’ll re-read them.”

“Humph.” Loki snorted, though he was mollified at Thor’s words. “As if you would remember or make any sense of them without my help. Let me go over the salient points first. Then we can discuss policy as it relates to tribute. 

First of all the North. They have four minor Chieftains. Their tribute is mostly magical items and specialized weaponry. Invarr, is the newest elected of the chieftains. He’s an older man and took up politics after his wife died. He’s said to be ambitious for all his late start. He has a reputation as a talented mage smith, and is very skilled in the finer work. He has made some jewelry of a magical nature also. Remember Mother’s set of ornamental daggers? She received those from his smithy, many years ago when he was a young man. 

Gervolf’s province produces the best of armor and handheld weapons, we will renew the contract with him, but its best to let him think we are considering Danbor’s work. We aren’t. Their quality isn’t up….”

*****

A mage smith of some talent, Thor thought. Known for jewelry and small ornamental weapons. Loki’s idea that he was whoring his daughter to better his political position hadn’t panned out. Invarr’s proposal had been modest. The man himself almost forgettable. Not at all the political powerhouse Thor had expected. Strong and broad as all his people, but somehow withered, in spite of his appearance. His voice so dull a monotone that Thor had almost fallen asleep while he read his short list of requests. He had looked to his daughter often as he read. Seeking her approval. 

Thor remembered his own disquiet during the reading. Invarr’s glances had hardly been paternal. It held some of the desperation he saw in his brother’s eyes. “Was she really his daughter?” Thor wondered. It didn’t seem to matter at this point. 

He leaned Loki forward and freeing his hand from his brother’s grasp, began rinsing out his hair, carefully untangling the curls and trying not to tug. 

“So what was so important about the man?” Thor puzzled. “And how did it connect with D’vinna?”

“Mage smith, jewelry, ornamental weapons?” Thor thought back to what he had seen of the witch. No jewelry or weapons came to mind. Her dress was conventional. Loki might know more but Thor had to frame the question carefully so he could answer it.

“D’vinna is a beautiful girl,” Thor ventured. “I am surprised her father does not have her model the jewelry he crafts.”

“She is too beautiful for jewelry.” Loki murmured. “It would look dim by compare.”

He hissed as Thor’s fingers rubbed over his scalp. “She wears her hair up, because she is modest.”

Thor thought about that. D’vinna was not modest. No matter if she did wear her hair in the traditional bun. But even there she eschewed the fancier arrangement of jewels or chains he’d seen on the other wealthy Dwarven women or the ribbons the servant girls used. So how did she keep her hair up?

Loki hissed and yipped again. Thor paused. He’d felt a small bump under his fingertips. He rubbed his finger back and found the bump. Square and flattened and tight to Loki’s scalp. 

Loki was panting in pain. “Un! Un!’ Shivering. Thor moved his finger off the bump and searched over his brother’s head as a sick dread began to dawn. Four more bumps he found. Four more times his brother yelped in pain as he touched them. Flat, square, not much more than the thickness of a coin. 

He had a vision of Frigga, her hair pulled up off her neck, the filigree of her headdress held in place by the crisscrossing of delicate ornamental daggers. Hair pins he thought. When D’vinna had turned away her hair was up. Held by hair pins? No. Thor remembered. Crisscrossed in her red-blond hair. Long, thin, black, square cut iron nails. Rune marks on the shanks.

Reginnaglar. God nails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Satisfying that this problem actually is a nail. Well several of them.  
> Thor isn't stupid. He's used to manipulating Loki into doing all the mental work. Loki knows what he's doing but it feeds his ego to have Thor rely on his intelligence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking spells. Some lies some truth.

Reginnaglar. God nails were iron nails driven into doors and altars and even idols to bring a god’s power and attention to his or her worshippers. It was a common practice on Midgard. Thor had felt the pull himself as his lightening loved to earth itself in the specially made tokens. It was harmless and the prayers and worship more than made up for the tiny bits of power they drained. He had noted that Loki’s worshippers never used them. It had something to do with how they effected magic. Thor shuddered to think of them buried into his brother’s skull. He didn’t know why Loki was still alive.

Thor stood up and carefully helped Loki from the bath. Loki braced against the wall as his brother toweled him dry. His eyes never leaving Thor’s face, as though he was the source of Loki’s wavering strength. Thor handed him the robe and Loki slipped it on with clumsy, distracted hands, while Thor wiped the water from his own skin. He wrapped a dry towel around his waist and furrowed his brow.

Loki had always been lean to Thor’s heavier build, but it was a slenderness of a rapier, supple and sharp and deadly. He could take Thor’s strongest blows while sparring and had more often than Thor liked to admit, had knocked his larger brother on his ass. Thor had never thought of Loki as weak, but now there was a terrible fragile hollowness to him that made Thor’s breath catch in his throat. There was no doubt Loki was dying, his very being pulled into the network of spells.

Thor tried to think how to phrase his question about the nails embedded in Loki’s skull in a manner that he’d be able to answer. 

“Loki,” Thor asked, “Did D’vinna give you any gifts?”

Loki met his brother’s gaze with a level desperate one of his own. “Yes,” he paused “Five.” He winced. “One. Each. Night.” His voice broke and he keened, bending over and grasping his head in his hands. Thor caught him and eased him to the floor. He could feel the cold sweat blooming on his brother’s skin as he fought the pain. Thor ground his teeth. He wanted nothing less than to pound her into bloody pulp. 

“Brother.”

Loki raised his head.

“I’m going to move Mjölnir.” Thor said.

Loki nodded, his face pale.

Thor got back to his feet, walked over to the door and picked up the discarded hammer. He circled around the edges of the room, keeping as far from his brother as possible. He thought of the pattern the spell had etched on the walls and ceiling and floor. How the bed had been moved to the center of the room. He stepped close to the bed, and Mjölnir almost growled in his hand, electricity swarming in blue lines over the hammer. Loki scooted backwards till he was pressed against the far bathroom wall, watching Thor intently. He gave a slight nod. Thor could see the glow of spellwork flicker across the room, the web reactivating. This time he didn’t strike out. Instead he spun the hammer in a circle, the power building into a shield. The witch's spell activated, cold grey translucent threads that circled the room and gathered in the center, braiding into five strands that hung over the bed. They twisted and probed the air then moved like hunting snakes toward Loki huddled in the other room. 

Thor prayed he had read his brother aright and stepped into the path of the questing threads. The threads exploded into black fire that clawed at his whirling shield, driving Thor back and down on one knee. They tried to wind past his defense and he turned blocking their burning tendrils, his mind concentrated on holding them back. He cursed the energy he’d spent riding the storm when he needed it now. The flames split and sought a way around his shield. Thor sent his power out wider, the lightning wrought shield circling into a sphere holding him and Loki at the center. 

Loki screamed as Thor’s power encompassed him, but Thor held position, bleeding out his strength into the shield and praying his brother could hold out. The spell beat against Thor’s shield, roaring as it tore each newly built layer apart. Thor’s felt his shield failing, knew that the spell would devour his brother if he was not already dead. Rage burned through him. He would never give Loki up! Never! His anger burned white hot and poured into the sphere, expanding, shoving the flames back. The questing black fire turned red, flickering and thinning, burning lower before fading into grey mist and dissipating. 

Thor let the hammer slow, his shield fell as he rose to his feet, panting. His arm ached and his vision faded in and out in time to his pounding heart. He turned to find Loki slumped against the wall. He crossed the bathroom, knelt and cupped his brother’s head in his hand.

Loki’s shadowed eyes flickered open. He looked Thor up and down. “Brother,” he said with a ghost of a smile. “You’ve lost your towel.”

Thor pulled him into a hug and laughed. He felt Loki’s arms wrap around him and he held him tighter. After a few moments Loki pushed feebly at him. “I can’t breathe Thor. Let me go, you oaf. This isn’t over.” 

Thor leaned back, loosening his grip but not letting Loki go altogether. “How so? The spell is broken.”

Loki pushed him in the chest, but Thor kept his hand on Loki’s shoulders. “The draining spell is broken. And the glamour that kept me from speaking, yes. But these damn things are still in my head and I have no access to my seidr as long as they remain. I have no defenses Thor, if and when D’vinna returns, I’ll be her puppet. “

“Then I’ll take you home, Mother can sort this out.” Thor got to his feet and extended his hand to Loki, who rose on shaking legs.

“Brother, Reginnaglar are designed to pin the power of a god in place. The Bifrost would shred me from here to Asgard were I to be fool enough to chance it.” Loki leaned on Thor as they walked back into the bedroom. “It would best for you to return to Asgard alone.”

“I’m not leaving you!” Thor growled. “If the witch returns I will defend you.”

“Don’t be an idiot.” Loki snapped. “Go home and bring Mother back.” He glanced at the doorway and stopped. “Shit!”

Thor followed his gaze. The heavy door was shut, runes burned black into its wood. All around the room similar markings scorched the walls. Not the living things of fire as the draining spell had been but dark and heavy lines seared into the stone walls. “What is this?” he asked Loki. 

Loki dropped down into the chair with an exhausted sigh, leaned on the table and put his head in his hands. “It’s a containment spell.” He laughed. “and that” he pointed to the elaborate pattern etched on the ceiling. “is a concealment spell designed specifically to keep Heimdall from spying on this room.”

Thor frowned. “I don’t see what is so funny. Are you saying the witch has us trapped here still?”

“No brother, they aren’t the witch's doing. She wouldn’t have the power or knowledge to cast these. They’re my spells.” Loki pointed to the markings on the walls. “That was a drunken dare, the first night. Show her some magic.” He looked ruefully at Thor. “She appealed to my vanity. I so carefully built the containment spell and showed her how it worked.”

“You aren’t normally so easily manipulated.” Thor said, donning his undergarments. “Even drunk you have more sense than that.”

“Fine!” Loki snarled. “It was supposed to be a trap for you.”

Thor turned on him. “WHAT?”

“She kept talking about you. After we lay together. How strong you were. How handsome. How well you’d handled that uprising on Vanaheim and negotiated the treaty after. How everyone had looked forward to your visit. Would I introduce you to her? I was angry. I told her I could best you anytime I desired. I put up the spell meaning to hold you here and make you miss the first day’s negotiations. I’d tell them you were still too drunk to attend and make you look a fool.” Loki turned away. “I meant it for a jest.”

“Loki, you would endanger our mission just to make me the butt of your joke?”

“I... I don’t know Thor. I hope I would have thought better of the idea when I was sober. But I forgot everything by morning. She placed the first nail after I set the spell.”

“They’re your spells. Take them down.” Thor’s face hard and closed. He pulled on his pants.

“I can’t Thor. No magic.” 

Thor picked up Mjölnir walked to the door and tapped it with the hammer. Nothing happened. Thor tried to turn the handle. It wouldn’t budge. He hit the door harder. A small crackle of lightening was released and immediately it fizzled out, absorbed by the runes. He turned and glared at Loki.

“I took Mjölnir into consideration.” Loki added.

“So now what? We wait for your witch to return and finish you off?” Thor glared at him and flipped the hammer in his hand. “I can’t believe you would be so reckless. Do you truly hate me so much?”

“She’s not my witch!” He put his head back in his hands and rubbed his temples. “I don’t hate you Thor. I just… Norns. What do you want me to say? It’s all my fault? It usually is. Why would this time be any different? Why the hell couldn’t you just leave it alone.”

“Leave it alone? While you were turned into a puppet? Or a murderer? Or a corpse?” Thor stared down at his brother in shock. 

“At least dead I wouldn’t be an embarrassment to you any longer.” Loki said in a dull voice.

“Loki you can’t believe that.” Thor pleaded.

Loki raised his head and looked at Thor with a mocking smile.  
“When, oh brother, did you defend me from the jibes of your friends that I was no real warrior, because I use my brains to strategize instead of stupidly rushing into battle without thought? How often have you thanked me for using my ‘tricks’ to save you and your foolhardy companions from death? Did you ever have the courage to stand up to your fellow warriors when they sneered about my choice of weapons? Or did you just laugh along with them? Joke with them? Till even the lowest Einherjar knows it’s safe to hold me in open contempt. Can you not hear the jealous distaste in your own voice when you speak of my seidr?”

“Loki, this is neither the time nor place.” Thor growled, biting back his anger. “You need to be..” 

“Like you?” Loki snarled. “I need to stop being Loki and turn into a poor copy of golden. Perfect. Thor? Cripple myself by giving up the magic that runs through my veins like blood? Turn off my mind to become another of your sycophantic friends, too frightened of losing your favor to tell you when you are full of shit.”  
Loki reared up and pushed forward until he was nose to nose with Thor. “Is that what you want?” He hissed. “Someone else to fill your empty useless head with praise and accolades.”

Thor clenched his fist around the handle of his hammer, his knuckles white. “No! Of course not! Loki, stop trying to anger me.” He looked away from his brother’s sneering face. “You need, no. We need to be focused on finding a way out.”

Loki sat back down, panting, shut his eyes and put his head face down on his crossed arms. “There is no way out. We need a mage stronger then myself to take them down. The spells will hold as long as I am alive.” His voice muffled. 

Thor narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath. “Loki.” He reached his hand out and caught his brother under the chin, tilting his head back. Saw the wet lashes. “I won’t let you anger me enough to kill you. I won’t take my life at the cost of yours. No matter what foolishness you intended. However I have wronged you, I will set it right.” Thor grasped Loki’s hand with his free one and interlaced their fingers. “How little you know me, if you think I could live with your death on my conscience.” 

Loki stared into his brother’s face, then dropped his eyes. “I…” He sighed. “I need to remove the Reginnaglar, to be able to access my magic. “

“You can do that?” Thor looked puzzled. “Then what are you waiting for?”

“I cannot do it alone.” Loki pulled his chin away from Thor’s hand, but left their fingers entwined. “And I cannot ask you to help.”

“Of course you can.” Thor said “I will do whatever needs be done. How do we remove them?

“The same way they went in.” Loki laughed bitterly. “At the moment when all barriers are down, brother. When flesh and flesh are one. Do you still mean to assist me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a hard story to pick back up for me. It started to hit way too close to home. The deathly ill part only. Anyway here it is.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers tackle the problem.

Thor bent down till his head was on a level with Loki’s. “Whatever it takes.” He brushed Loki’s hair back from his face. Reached back and clasped his brother’s neck, pressed his forehead to Loki’s. 

Loki returned the clasp and they remained for a long moment, pressed head to head and fingers entwined. “I cannot say I do not want this.” He breathed softly. “I am not that good of a man. I only wish was by our will alone.”

“You talk too much.” Thor said and hesitantly brushed his lips to his brother’s mouth. Loki’s lips parted soft and yielding. Thor could feel him shiver under his hand and he leaned into the kiss, his fingers tightening on the back of Loki’s neck. Thor kissed deeper and his tongue pushed into the warmth of his brother’s mouth. He groaned as Loki lapped and sucked on his tongue, his soft whimper was like fuel poured onto a fire. Thor’s heart slammed at Loki’s hunger, and a part of him protested, that this was not his to take, that he would damage their relationship, damage his brother beyond all healing. But the greater part of his soul screamed in triumph, that Loki was his! His mocking, maddening, beautiful, brother was his to protect and love and tame.

He broke the kiss and straightened up. Loki rose with him to embrace chest to chest. Thor ran his hands down his brother’s side, pushing the robe open to glide over his hips and reach lower to clasp his warm butt cheeks. “I won’t hurt you.” He said softly and nuzzled Loki’s hair. His strong hands holding his brother up on unsteady legs. 

Loki’s hands raked down his back, his nails scratching the tanned skin. He sighed, his tongue licked hot into Thor’s ear. “Yes you will. And I’ll hurt you.” He kissed along Thor’s jaw, “We’ll destroy each other and I don’t care.”

“No!” Thor held him tight, hugging him against his chest as though to smother Loki’s words.

“I want you!” Loki whispered, his voice harsh with passion. “I want your cock. I want to taste it, suck it. Bury your cock in my mouth, brother.” He ground his growing erection against Thor’s hips. “Paint my lips with your spend. Spill your seed down my throat, Thor.” He squirmed out of the hug and dropped down the length of Thor’s body to kneel. “Fuck me like a whore!”

“Loki!” Thor’s voice torn between anguish and hunger. “Don’t speak so.”

Loki bared his teeth in a feral grin and slipped his hands down the back of Thor’s pants tugging them down. “Come brother,” He said, rubbing his face against the front of his brother’s undershorts, his breath hot through the thin material. “You wish to silence me, you know how. Fill my filthy, lying mouth.” He drug his tongue over cloth covering the thickening flesh of Thor’s cock.

Thor looked into emerald eyes that burned, Loki’s pale skin flushed and feverish, his lips parted, wet and inviting. Loki spat into his left hand, clasped his own cock and stroked it lasciviously. 

“Loki what am I to do?”

“I thought that was obvious.” Loki panted, then relented at Thor’s frown.  
“Put your hands on my head brother, dig your nails under the Reginnaglar and when I cum, rip them from my scalp.”

Loki nuzzled the front of the shorts again, then pulled them down, letting Thor’s cock spring free. He gave a murmur of approval and leaned forward to lap his tongue along the underside of the thick shaft. 

Thor moaned and threaded his fingers through Loki’s damp hair. Finding the square edges of two of the Reginnaglar he curled his fingertips against them. Loki froze under his hands, made a strangled sound in his throat.

“It hurts you!?” Thor’s words more a worried statement then question. 

“Like fuck all!” Loki growled. “Only now it’s my pain, not hers. Ours. I’m taking it back Thor.” 

He circled his brother’s cock with his right hand, and pulled the head into the wet warmth of his mouth, pushing the foreskin back with his lips. He sucked gently, his tongue licking under the glans and over the top and bobbed his head in a slow steady rhythm. Tears gathered in his eyes from the biting pain where Thor’s fingers touched the nails. He rocked stroking, his cock, his brother’s cock. His mouth filled full, the tastes of salt and musk and Thor’s scent of rain wet earth added to his pleasure. Even the building agony in his head throbbed in time to the pulse in his groin. The ache as he worked his own cock faster caused Loki to bring his hand up and swipe drool from his chin. 

Thor watched with half closed eyes as his brother jacked himself with the spit slicked hand. His other hand squeezed and stroked the base of Thor’s cock, while his tongue lapped right under the head. Loki’s eyes closed as he sucked. He made obscene slurping noises mingled with moans of pleasure. Thor grunted and thrust gently into his brother’s mouth. The result was electrifying. 

Loki leaned forward flattening his hand against Thor’s belly and taking his cock all the way into his throat. Thor felt him gagging and swallowing. Loki’s hand pumped his own shaft faster. Choked cries escaped his lips. His cheeks flushed and his spread lips dripped with saliva and Thor’s pre cum. Thor’s heart pounded and he knew he was about to spill his seed into his brother’s hungry, demanding mouth. Loki suddenly opened his eyes to lock gazes with his brother. Thor felt him quiver, saw Loki’s pupils widen into black holes. 

It was so entrancing Thor almost forgot his task, but a sudden jerk of the raven haired head dragged his fingertips over the square tops of the Reginnaglar. He dug in his nails and pulled. There was a sickening sucking feeling as they came loose and greasy grey magic coiled over his hands like the caress of slugs. 

Loki screamed. His head fell back, his mouth abandoned Thor’s swollen shaft as the rune marked spikes were freed from his skull. Thor dropped the nails and fell to his knees to catch his brother before he collapsed. Loki gasped and shook as he came, his pulsing cock emptied in a shivering parody of pleasure, his head on Thor’s shoulder. 

“Are you alright? Loki! Are you hurt?”

Loki took a deep breath, shuddered again. He leaned away from Thor. 

“That was bit more intense” Loki replied his voice faltering, “then I usually like.” 

He raised his hand, wet with his own seed. Looked into Thor’s worried eyes. Licked his tongue over the palm and sucked the mess off his index finger. He lowered his eyes to Thor’s still jutting cock, precum pearling the tip. His tongue darted out, flickered over his lips.

“Fuck I’m so hungry. Feed me, brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally. Thor trying to be all gentle and loving and Loki wanting it dirty and hard. They really are at opposite ends of the spectrum. This chapter is a little short but I'll post another one soon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More porn. Thor gets a little rough.

Thor growled at Loki’s words. He was confused and angry and so aroused he could barely think. Loki’s flushed face, his wet slick lips, his eyes burning with lust were spurring Thor to go ahead and give him what he wanted. He pulled Loki tight to his chest and kissed him hard. His brother moaned and opened his lips to Thor’s demanding touch. He claimed Loki with his mouth, tasting his brother’s sour cum as he darted his tongue in. He wasn’t holding back this time and Loki’s lips were bruised by his passion. He returned the kiss with equal ardor, lacing his fingers into Thor’s hair and tugging hard enough to pull strands lose.

Thor finally pulled back, panting.

“Fuck!” Loki gasped. “Brother, I never knew you held such fire.”

Thor felt a frisson of taboo at Loki’s “Brother”. It was the fourth time Loki had called him that and each time he said it, it made what they were doing feel both more wrong and more desirable. He decided to give Loki a taste of his own medicine. He let go of Loki, rose to his feet and pressed his hips forward till his cock brushed the top of his brother’s head.

“Be silent and suck my cock, _little_ brother.” He rumbled. The words felt filthy in his mouth.

Loki moaned and shivered. He pressed his body against Thor’s legs, arched like a cat and brushed his head on Thor’s thighs. Loki grasped his brother’s arms and hauled himself up off his rump and onto his knees. He rubbed his face against Thor’s groin. Without another word he opened his mouth and took the thick length between his lips and started sucking, his eyes locked on Thor’s. His low whines sent vibrations along every inch of his brother’s cock as he took it deeper.

Thor could feel the tremble in Loki’s legs as he leaned against him. Knew how weak he was, as his slender hands grasped Thor’s hips to stay upright. Thor didn’t care, not anymore. He grabbed the back of the trickster’s head with rough hands and thrust hard into his throat. Glorying in the wet gagging sounds as Loki choked on his cock. He ground in deeper, watching Loki’s face, seeing his lust turn to desperation as he fought for breath. He pulled out right before desperation turned to panic and allowed his brother a quick gasp of air. He plunged back into Loki’s wet mouth and again pushed deep. He could feel Loki’s nails, digging into his hips strong enough to draw blood. 

He fucked his brother’s hot sucking mouth with a relentless rhythm, three or four shallow stokes where he could feel Loki’s lapping tongue, then a harsh thrust deep into his throat to make him gag. Thor was growling, making his brother take his cock, forcing every lying word every deceit, every snide comment back down his gullet. 

“You like this, don’t you _little_ brother.” Thor laughed low, panting. “I wish I’d known this years ago Loki. All you need is my dick to _learn your place_.”

He increased his pace at Loki’s furious scowl. The sheer power of taking, of forcing his slippery younger sibling to swallow his prick was driving him wild, making him cruel. He felt Loki change his position and was surprised to feel his brother’s cock already hard, rutting against his shin with frantic thrusts. Urged on by his obvious arousal, Thor pumped faster. The slick slide of Loki’s spit wet lips, the warm of his mouth, the tight spasm of his throat around the head of Thor’s cock was enough to break the building pressure. He came, pulsing into Loki’s mouth, down his throat, pulling from his mouth to grasp his cock and milk the last hot jets on his face. Marking Loki as his. He looked down on Loki's flushed face, his swollen open lips painted with his seed, his gasps hot on Thor's flagging cock. He shivered at the lust still raging in his little brother's eyes.

*****

Loki groaned and leaned his head against Thor’s hip, smearing the seed on his cheek over his brother’s skin. He licked his bruised lips and wrapped his arms around Thor’s thighs, holding tight as he humped, sliding his cock between his brother’s hairy calves. Thor’s brutality had roused some bitter darkness in him and he was fierce with need. The remnants of the witch’s spell kept his cock rigid, kept him ready at the slightest touch. 

Thor’s hands stroked over his shoulders, up his neck, rested gently on top of his head. He could feel the thick fingers searching for the Reginnaglar still buried in his scalp. Loki moaned and thrust faster, his eyes shut, the taste of Thor’s cum cloying and heavy in his mouth. Thor’s skin felt hot from the friction of his cock as he rutted into the muscled gap between his calves. His brother shifted his feet, tightening the space. Loki stroked harder, the sweat damp skin dragging on his prick. He yipped as Thor’s fingertips brushed two of the hidden nails. The pain was sudden and sharp and it drove him over the edge.

Loki grunted “Uh! Uh! Uh!” and came on his brothers legs. Emptying what little seed he had left in throbbing jets from his straining cock. 

Pain tore through his head, shattering his pleasure into shards of agony as Thor ripped the next two nails from his scalp. Loki shrieked and fell flat on his back. His heels drummed and his hands slapped the floor as he seized. In a moment it was over and he shivered, cold, exhausted, whimpering, his knees falling open and his arms spread wide. Thor was a vision of gold, standing over him, the two nails smoking and shriveling in his grasp. Loki wet his lips, tried to say something clever, but his mind was as blurry as his sight.

“One more.” He managed to gasp out.

“At least.” Thor answered, dropping the nails and lowering himself over his brother. Loki shivered as Thor’s broad hands stroked down his chest, along his sides and over his hips. Thor’s beard tickled against Loki’s heated skin as he nuzzled the long slender neck.

“However many times it takes to break the spell, brother.” Thor continued. Loki heard his almost inaudible whisper as he kissed over his brother’s bared throat. “However many times it takes to break _you_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. Soon this will be done. No more new fics till its over.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking the spell, that's what they are doing, right? You do remember the spell, don't you?

The words sent a chill through Loki. His brother's promise of domination more clear than it had ever been. He tried to focus his mind long enough to refute Thor’s words, instead his eyes closed in exhaustion and he slipped from consciousness. Thor kissed his cheek gently, then rolled up his clothing to make a pillow. He lay beside Loki, cradled him in his arms and covered them both in his cloak. He rested with Loki’s head on his chest and stroked his fingers through the dark strands that brushed over his shoulder. Loki’s breathing was better, slower and deeper than earlier in the evening, and Thor was sure he’d be safe to sleep for a few hours. Thor kept his eyes open to ensure the witch would not catch him napping. 

The night was quiet, the containment spell cut off all sound from the rest of the citadel and the hours slipped past slowly. All Thor could hear was the sound of Loki’s quiet breathing and a persistent irregular dripping from the bathtub faucet. He ran his hand down his brother’s side, feeling his too prominent ribs, the leanness of his flank and the sharp jut of his hip. Loki’s normally cool skin was warm to the touch. Thor wondered how much was due to exertion and how much to fever. 

Loki whimpered in his sleep and moved against Thor, his hands grasping weakly. He pressed closer and started rocking his hips, blindly nuzzling on Thor’s chest. His whimpering and movements became more agitated.

Thor stroked his back. “Easy Loki, it’s alright, I’m here, shhh.”

Loki settled a little, his motions becoming more rhythmic, his breathing faster. Thor could feel his brother’s cock hardening against his hip.

“Loki!” Thor said louder, his brother felt hot, his skin starting to slicken with sweat.

Loki blinked open glazed eyes. “Mmm Thor?” He yawned and his eyes slid closed again. His body moving languidly, rubbing and stroking Thor with odd uncoordinated gestures. Thor was getting more and more uncomfortable. He was aroused by the touching, but the strangeness of Loki’s semi sleeping state was off putting.

“Loki, wake up!” Thor lifted his brother by his shoulders but it was like lifting a sack of water. Loki’s head lolled, his body sagged and his hands twitched. 

“No…” Loki slurred. “tired… hold me... mmm… fuck me…” his eyes gleaming wet under lids that seemed too heavy to stay open.

Thor moved Loki off him and onto the floor. He put his hand on his brother’s forehead. Loki was warm but not feverish. Thor frowned at him.

“Loki I am not going to fuck you while you are asleep.”

Loki’s eyes half opened. “Why not?” He stretched… and smiled. “Am I not passive enough for you? Not broken enough for you?” He yawned and ran his hand down his belly, grasped his cock and began stroking.

“You!” Thor’s anger turned into arousal watching Loki pleasure himself. “You were pretending! I ought to...”

“Fuck me?” Suggested Loki. He licked his tongue over his thin lips. “I wasn’t pretending, not totally. I am tired, and sleepy and I want your cock up my ass very, very much… _dearest brother_.” His voice dipped into a low purr on the last two words.

Thor loomed over Loki, placing his hands on either side of his brother’s shoulders. He nudged Loki’s thighs apart and positioned his knees between them. His brow furrowed he glared down at the unrepentant smirk.

“What will it take for you to submit?” Thor growled.

“My death!” Loki grinned his wolf grin and letting go his cock, pulled Thor down for a ferocious kiss. They wrestled, their hands grabbing and their mouths sucking and biting, pressed belly to belly and hip to hip. 

When Thor came up for air, Loki lay panting under him, his pale skin flushed pink and glistening with sweat.

“As pleasant as this is, _dearest brother_ ,” Loki said enjoying Thor’s discomfort at the sarcasm in his tone. “You need to get off of me and get the jar from the bedside drawer.”

Thor sat back a puzzled look on his face. “What new trick are you trying to pull?” 

Loki laughed. “Thor you oaf, your cock would grace a donkey’s belly and I’ve no desire to be split asunder.”

Thor got to his feet and fetched the jar, he couldn’t help but notice the slender glass dildo that lay beside it, nestled in an open case.

He returned with both and Loki’s approving smile and the way his pink tongue darted over his lips told Thor all he needed to know.

“You’re no stranger to this are you little brother?” Thor asked as he knelt between Loki’s spread thighs.

“How would I know it felt good if I didn’t experiment a little?” Loki replied, and pulled his knees up to his chest, offering his anus for exploration.

Thor opened the jar and spread the thick grease on the dildo and then rubbed the remainder over Loki’s dark rose entrance. The skin and muscle was soft and hot under his fingertips and his brother’s low moan as he pressed against the opening, made Thor’s cock throb in anticipation.

A disturbing thought crossed Thor’s mind. “The witch didn’t do this to…”

Loki cut him off with a snarl. “No! And don’t bring her up again. Not until we can extract our revenge!”

Thor removed his fingers, wiped them clean on the towel. He rubbed the smooth head of the dildo over the slickened opening and ran his other hand over Loki’s stomach in gentle circles, “Easy little brother.” Watching the expression on Loki’s heated face.

“For fuck’s sake, put it in me.” Loki demanded.

Thor only chuckled and teased Loki, pressing the dildo just enough to see him start to open, then pulling back to rub it around the rim.

“Damn you!” Loki cursed, squirming. “Thor!” his voice held a touch of pleading.

Thor relented and leaned forward pushing the slick glass up into his brother’s ass. Loki’s head tilted back baring his throat, his mouth fell open and his eye lids dropped.

“Thor…” Now his name was a prayer on the thin parted lips.

Holding him down with one broad hand on his brother’s lean abdomen, Thor worked the dildo in slow steady strokes. He loved how Loki raised his hips to push his ass into each thrust and his deep moans of pleasure. He loved how his brother’s cock twitched and he gasped for breath, when he angled the glass shaft to rub across the sensitive spot of his prostate.

“Noo. Too much! Not there.” Loki panted.

Thor stopped and returned to a steady stroking rhythm. Loki rocked into it his breathing measured and deep.

“Thor… now! Uh! Give me your cock. Now!” Loki commanded. Even lying on his back, knees to his chest, and a dildo up his ass, Loki’s arrogance was unabated.

“You’re impossible.” Thor said as he pulled the glass shaft from Loki’s rump. He lubed his own thick prick and lined the head up to the slippery entrance and eased inside. 

“Fuck! Fuck! Slow Thor! Go slow!” Loki yelped.

“I thought I was.” Thor panted, pausing as Loki’s muscled ring clenched around the head of his cock.

“Ymir’s balls… You’re huge.” Loki gasped. “Hold still… let me…”

Loki shifted, wrapped his long legs around Thor’s waist, grasped his muscled butt in long fingered hands and worked himself back onto his brother’s cock. “Oh that’s so good, uh! Ummm!”

Thor braced himself on elbows and knees over his brother as Loki shimmied his ass up against his hips. Loki’s hole was tight, almost painfully tight and slickly hot. It took all Thor’s will power to stay still and let his brother take the lead. 

Loki paused, relaxed, brought his hands up to Thor’s ribs and breathed, “Now Thor, fuck me.” 

Thor needed no more encouragement, he pulled half out of Loki’s ass then drove into the slick grasp with a tremendous thrust.

“AH!” Loki screamed and ripped his nails down Thor’s back in bloody red scratches.

Thor was unrelenting. He pulled all but the head out and rammed in hard, pounding Loki’s ass as though he meant to drive him through the floor. Despite the nails clawing his back to shreds, the teeth that Loki set in his arm again and again, his brother’s cries were encouraging, a howling litany of curses and endearments.

“Damn your fucking monster cock! Brother! Shit! Oh Ymir! It’s too good! Norns curse you! You beautiful bastard! Fuck me! Thor!”

Loki was straining under him, moving to the powerful rutting, as though he were trying to merge them even closer. His cock rubbed between their bellies, his precum leaking warm and wet, added slickness to their sweaty skin. Thor was enraptured by his brother’s rabid need, his desire burning like a flame. Loki’s passion, the tight clenching heat enveloping his thrusting shaft, the way his brother’s butt felt, firm and warm as his hips slammed down and his heavy balls slapped, was urging him closer. He grabbed Loki’s long throat with his teeth and bit hard, marking the pale skin.

Loki cried out wordlessly in pleasure and pain, shuddering under him, then he cried out again. 

“Now! Uh! UH!” Desperation plain in his voice. “Now Thor... Now! It’s too much… I’m Too close… The fucking nail you idiot. AHHH!”

Thor remembered at the last second, wrenching his focus from his own impending pleasure to hastily search for the last nail in Loki’s scalp. Catching it in his fingertips he ripped it free. Loki convulsed under him and his spend spurted hot over Thor’s abdomen. Loki’s hands clawed with painful intensity on his shoulders. Thor slammed into Loki’s butt, brutally taking his pleasure from his brother’s writhing body. His balls pulled up tight to his groin, his pulse throbbed in his cock and he came, grinding deep and emptying his seed in thick streams into Loki’s guts.

He collapsed over his brother, gasping for breath. Their ribs heaving to the same desperate rhythm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About goddamn time. These two, I swear. No. Loki will never be tamed. Not a possibility.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge and trickery, magic and lies.

Loki lay panting, the last of the Reginnaglar gone. Their terrible warping pain wiped from his head. His seidr was trickling back into his body, healing the damage. The trickle became a flow, cool and green and his. The power building with every slow deep breath. His memory of the past few days clearing, sharpening. As his power grew within him so did his rage. 

He shoved Thor off, and sat up. His brother rolled over and gazed at Loki with unfocused eyes. Loki rose to his feet and magic swirled up his body in coils of green, cleansing the sweat and lube and cum from his skin and layering him in his full battle armor. He spared a glance for Thor and with a flick of his fingers, his brother, who a moment ago was naked and sweaty from their coupling found himself lounging on his elbows, fully dressed and clean as if he’d just stepped from the bath. Loki turned to the middle of the room and the bed exploded in mute incandescence, all the more impressive as not even ash was left to mark its place.

He raised his hands and the black runes peeled off walls, ceiling, and door to swirl around him like a flock of misshapen crows, before settling on his armor and sinking out of sight.

Thor scrambled to his feet and grasped his hammer. “Hie..” He started to call but Loki threw out his hand and a metal plate sealed his mouth before he could finish the name.

“BE SILENT!” Loki’s voice though soundless to his ears rang through him like a bell, and Thor was suddenly cognizant of why his brother was worshipped as a god. 

He stalked over to Thor and whispered harshly. “Would you run back to Asgard with your tail between your legs like a whipped dog? I will take my revenge on the witch and either you stand with me or you get out of my way. But there will be no reporting to Father. Do you understand me brother? I will not have a mockery be made of my actions.” Loki’s eyes burned green with cresting power and fury.

Thor frowned and shook his head, then nodded in agreement. Loki vanished the gag and Thor growled.

“I stand with you Loki. I would see an end to this witch also.”

Loki’s laugh was as unpleasant a sound as Thor had ever heard.  
“An end, oh surely we will end her. Eventually.”

******

There was a hushed scurrying in the citadel as the servants went about their predawn tasks, preparing breakfast, laying out clothing and sweeping up any debris from the previous afternoon’s storm. Silence cut through their actions as the princes stalked down the stairs and across the great hall. The front doors, still locked for the night, burst outward in a shattering of bars and chains and the Aesir strode through the wreckage without a word. The stunned dwarves watched them pause in the courtyard. The dark one shimmered and where he had stood an eagle flapped swiftly into the graying sky. With a humming whirl of his hammer the thunder god followed. A guard, come down early for his meal, shook off his frozen reaction and ran to tell the High Chieftain.

******

They found the corpse of Invarr first. It lay by the road, half a day’s ride from the citadel on the way to the Northern provinces. The body looked like a mummy, ancient and withered and already falling to pieces. A little further on the remains of his servants lay scattered across the ground where they had fallen fleeing the witch. Bloodless and withered as their master. Even their ponies were dead, stripped of their meager life force to give power to the parasite who had controlled their owner. Loki and Thor spread out looking for the path the witch had taken, but the muddy road was unmarked past the dead. Loki dropped to all fours in the form of a wolf. He raised his long black muzzle, sniffed the air and loped silent into the woods. Thor followed his brother using every bit of his woods craft to keep from alerting their prey.

The afternoon was clouding over when Loki found her inside a circle of standing stones, so ancient they were little more than shoulder high stubs worn to anonymity by wind and rains and ice. She was busy scrawling patterns on the altar stone with a dark blade, but she straightened when the black wolf stepped out of the woods.

Loki rippled into himself. “Hello D’vinna.” He said pacing just outside the circle, testing the barrier she’d set up.

“Loki, dearest. I’m so glad you followed me.” She held out her hands, smiling sweetly, a beautiful supple girl with soft golden hair and a smattering of freckles over her button nose. Loki was immune to her now, her prettiness revolted him. 

“You should have stuck to stealing from the Dwarven Mage-smiths.” He said coldly. “You were a fool to cross me.”

She watched him carefully the obsidian knife clutched in her hand.

“How was I to know you’d be able to undo my spells? Or your own for that matter.” Her eyes narrowed. 

“It shouldn’t have been possible. Not locked away from everyone with only your brother for company.” She laughed. “You didn’t, or… You did! You coupled with your own brother to get free. You are even more depraved then I imagined.”

“There is nothing I will not do for vengeance. No line I will not cross if it suits my need.” Loki completed his second circle windershins.

D’vinna returned to her scratching on the stone, the scrape of the obsidian blade underlined her words.

“Not even sacrificing your own brother to your lusts? Did you drug him before you raped him? I hardly thought you had the strength.” She smiled. “How he will hate you.”

“My brother will wake with a memory of a very disturbing erotic dream.” Loki said. Still pacing. “Nothing more. I will take great pleasure in his discomfort in my company for the next few days.”

“And what do you mean to do to me?” the witch asked, slicing her thumb and dripping a few red drops onto the recently scratched stone. She took a small pouch from the pack at her feet and sprinkled its contents over the blood and blew on it. There was a soft sizzle and a tiny puff of smoke.

“You?” Loki smiled lazily. “You will die.”

“No mage, no mortal, not even one of the Aesir can cross the stones while I live.”

“Nor.” said Loki. Completing his third circle and bringing his hands together with a clap. “May you leave.” A sphere of poison green translucent lines, for it was buried into the ground below her feet, knit itself tightly together. “Neither may food, nor water, nor even air enter.” Loki hummed softly to himself.

“This will be entertaining.” He said. “You should last a day in there. Perhaps a few hours more.”

“I cannot be killed!” She snarled at him. “I will rise again. You cannot keep this spell up forever.”

Loki laughed his ugly bitter laugh again. 

“But D’vinna, I don’t have to. For I’m an adept pupil, and you taught me more than you know. The spell is tied to your power. Every time you touched me, every kiss, every caress, every fuck, left traces of you on my skin and in my mind. I know the very taste of your magic. Can you not see how the spell feeds on you, growing stronger with each breath you take? This terrible child born of our entwined magics. How many times will you die, rise from death only to die again. Imagine an eternity of suffocating over and over. This is so much better than I had planned.”

D’vinna’s face shone white in the gathering darkness, visibly paling at Loki’s words. “No! Loki. Release me and I will grant you anything you ask.”

“Let me hear your bargain. I may be swayed.”

“I will give you all the secrets of Invarr’s craft, just think, only the master smiths of Niðavellir possess such knowledge. You can be a master of metals as well as magic.”

“How can I know you speak the truth?” Loki asked. A rising wind ruffled his dark hair. 

D’vinna crouched and pulled out a rune marked tome from the pack. “Swear by the Norns you will not use your magic against me, that you will lift this spell if this book is all I say it is and I will give it to you.”

Loki tilted his head, thought about it and nodded. “Such knowledge will be worth your miserable life. By the Norns do I so swear, to remove this spell and use none of my magic against you if you deliver the book to me, and it is as you say.”

D’vinna glared at how Loki had made his cooperation depend on her giving him the book. She walked to the writhing barrier, and tossed the book towards Loki’s hands. He caught it with a blur of magic not being stupid enough to touch the tome itself. Using the same magic he flipped open the covers, and perused a few pages. 

“Is it not as I said?” She asked.

“It is exactly as you said.” Loki smiled and slipped the book into one of his interdimensional pockets.

He concentrated for a moment and the sphere unwound, its green tendrils waving and shrinking until it was no more.

“You fool!” D’vinna chuckled raising her hands power growing at her fingertips. “By your own oath you may not even defend yourself against me.”

“Kill her Thor.” Loki said.

Lightning arced a white hot ribbon of death and buried itself into the witches body, blasting her across the circle to lie burnt and blackened at Loki’s feet. Thor stepped from the shadow of the woods on the other side of the clearing, Mjölnir in his hand.

“How?” she wheezed.

“I am the Lie-Smith. I am amazed you were so careless to forget.”

Thor’s second blow with the lightning shrouded hammer shattered her into so much ash and crisped bone. Her heart, blood red pulsed untouched on the ground.

Loki looked at it, picked it up and turned it over a few times and held it in his hand.

“One of those.” He said, lifting an eyebrow. “Neither magic, nor fire, nor weapon wrought will break it.”

“How can we end the witch if you cannot use magic nor weapon to destroy her heart?’ Thor asked.

“This kind of problem, brother” Loki said with a grin, “is best tackled in small bites.”

******

On the trip back from Niðavellir the prince’s celebrated their successful negotiations. The new treaty, favorable to Asgard’s policies, was signed. While the dwarves weren’t exactly happy they were not so unhappy that they would do more than grumble a bit. Invarr’s death and that of his servants was officially stated to be caused by bandits. It was noted, that while he did have a daughter, her name was Sebojrn and she was a woman of middle age with grown sons.

“Honesty Loki I can’t believe you did that.” Thor said shaking his head.

“It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.” Loki countered. “You weren’t there the time Volstagg tried making pickled blotfish. I didn’t think I’d ever get that taste out of my mouth.”

Thor laughed. He pulled his brother close and nibbled his ear. “So what about us?”

“What, What about us?” Loki replied turning his head to kiss Thor’s full soft lips.

“We can’t exactly tell our parents.” Thor said. “Though I think mother, I think in time she would accept it.”

“Yes.” Loki said snuggling into Thor’s arms. “I believe you’re right about that. I get the feeling she knows us better than we know ourselves.”

“Father however,” Thor shuddered. “He’d do that thing where he seems to grow ten feet tall and his voice shakes the palace walls.”

“He would in fact,” Loki said crudely. “Shit a brick.”

Thor’s laughter filled the small ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its a wrap. Whoa! One of my few happy endings. What can I say, I just couldn't be mean to these two any longer. I love the bad ass princes working together.


End file.
